Caution: Spoilers ahead for How to Make a Killing.How to Make a Killing, featuring Jessica Henwick and directed by John Patton Ford, offers an engaging twist at the end of this A24 thriller. Ford also shares details about an alternative ending that was ultimately not used.
In the climax of How to Make a Killing, after Becket Redfellow (played by Glen Powell) eliminates every relative ahead of him in the inheritance line, he is wrongfully incarcerated for a crime he did not commit. The film concludes with Becket being released from prison, a freedom orchestrated by Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley), who is the actual perpetrator and the one who framed him initially. Despite the complex dynamics, Becket has no option but to escape with Julia, thereby sacrificing any chance of a happy life with Ruth (portrayed by Henwick).
In a discussion with Variety, Henwick remarked, “For a contemporary audience, it would be hard to accept Ruth standing by him after everything. Ruth had to distance herself. It’s just too heartbreaking.” Despite Becket avoiding the death penalty and gaining his freedom, Henwick believes he finishes the story as a “completely powerless man. Ruth has stripped him of any potential joy, and Julia, who now controls his fate, will only bring turmoil into his life. Thus, he faces his deserved fate.”
Ford, who not only directed but also wrote the script, interprets the ending as a tragic irony for Becket. He survives and achieves what he initially desired, but only after realizing that it’s too late for the kind of life he truly wanted: “At the film’s conclusion, he attains his original desire, but by then he realizes it’s not what he wants anymore. The irony in this realization is intentional,” Ford explained.
An early version of the script had a “much harsher” conclusion where Ruth gives birth to their child while Becket is imprisoned. Upon his release, “He approaches her, sees Julia there too, and makes the decision to abandon Ruth and the child for Julia, acknowledging that this is who he truly is.” This idea was discarded as Ford felt it would be “excessively harsh for the audience” who by then empathized with Becket. Powell was chosen primarily because of his inherent likability, which allowed the audience to root for him despite his dark transformation, but this ending was too unsettling for the studio. Ford elaborates on this below:
Glen seems an unlikely person to commit multiple murders; he’s inherently good-natured. He appears as someone earnestly striving towards a goal. The general perception is that he’s working on becoming a movie star, similar to Tom Cruise. With Glen, [the audience thinks] ‘This guy believes he’s doing the right thing. He’s just trying his best.’ Yet, ironically, he lacks any moral or ethical backbone.
The studio was apprehensive. They felt, “You can’t make the audience sit through the whole movie and then subject them to this level of punishment.”
While the studio disapproved, Henwick felt the discarded ending remained true to Becket’s character: “Is it cynical and sad to think that most people would make the same decision as him? Faced with [Ruth] and her modest Honda, or Julia and her billions, I believe most would choose Julia.”
For Ford, opting for a more balanced conclusion was crucial: “I didn’t want to completely absolve him nor punish him entirely. I aimed for complexity. I wanted him to gain something yet lose something else, leaving him with mixed emotions about it.” This includes Becket’s tearful return to the Redfellow mansion, a subtle hint by Ford that “He will undoubtedly regret things, though he might not acknowledge it, even to himself.”
With a 76% rating on the Popcornmeter from Rotten Tomatoes, it appears the majority of viewers appreciate the ending chosen for Becket, despite a 47% approval rating from critics. In a review from ScreenRant, Gregory Nussen states, “From its title to its lackluster conclusion, the film’s predictability ensures that Ford’s work neither thrills nor entirely fails, but rather ends in a gentle whimper.”
The film also features performances by Ed Harris, Bill Camp, Topher Grace, and Zach Woods, who portray members of the Redfellow family, the targets of Becket’s deadly ambition. Ultimately, it’s his childhood friendship with Julia that proves most significant, with her emerging as the real victor in the narrative’s conclusion.
Ava Thornton is an entertainment journalist with a keen eye for the latest in Hollywood, indie films, and streaming trends.
Her work blends insider knowledge with a deep appreciation for storytelling.
