Class Warfare

Class Warfare

Year: 2001

Runtime: 96 mins

Language: English

Director: Richard Shepard

ThrillerCrimeDrama

In a remote cabin in the woods, Kristen tries to convince her boyfriend to kill fellow classmate Richard to gain possession of his winning lottery ticket.

Warning: spoilers below!

Haven’t seen Class Warfare yet? This summary contains major spoilers. Bookmark the page, watch the movie, and come back for the full breakdown. If you're ready, scroll on and relive the story!

Timeline – Class Warfare (2001)

Trace every key event in Class Warfare (2001) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Kristen hits Richard while driving to school

Kristen accidentally strikes Richard Ashbury with her car while on the way to school. The collision reveals Richard as a compassionate cyclist who collects flyers for a food drive. The incident seeds hidden tensions between Kristen, Jason, and Richard that will drive later actions.

Morning On the road near Kristen's school
2

Richard discovers he holds a winning lottery ticket

Kristen and Jason join their friend Graham at his father's lake house, where Richard reads a newspaper and realizes he is holding a winning lottery ticket. The discovery turns Richard into a potential obstacle or ally for Kristen's plans. The revelation foreshadows the dangerous actions that will follow in the coming days.

That day Graham's father's lake house
3

Kristen attempts to seduce Richard by the pool

Kristen attempts to seduce Richard in the swimming pool, hoping to influence his priorities. Richard rejects her advances, making Kristen's plan seem riskier and more personal. The poolside moment exposes Kristen's willingness to use charm as leverage.

Same day Graham's lake house pool
4

First cliff-push attempt during a hike

Kristen convinces Jason to push Richard off a cliff during a hike, but Jason slips and Richard saves him, preventing tragedy. The failed attempt shows how reckless Kristen's ambition can be and how far they are willing to go. The incident raises the stakes for everyone involved.

Next day morning Cliff along the lake area
5

Twister game fuels jealousy and a confrontation

Kristen kisses Richard during a game of Twister to provoke jealousy in Jason, who responds by punching Richard. The confrontation heightens the group's fragility and pushes them toward a violent path. The moment reveals the toxic dynamics among the trio and Kristen's willingness to manipulate emotions.

That evening Lake house living room
6

Second, deadly cliff push

The next morning, Jason pushes Richard off the same cliff after being spurred by the plan and pressure. Richard begs for help, but Jason offers his belt and then drops him, killing him. The murder cements Jason's role in the cover-up and deepens Kristen's cold calculation.

The next morning Same cliff
7

Jason searches the body; lottery ticket is missing

Jason searches Richard's body but cannot find the lottery ticket, leaving the fate of the potential jackpot uncertain. He returns to the lake house with a manufactured story to explain Richard's death. The missing ticket becomes the central problem they must resolve without getting caught.

That night Cliff area and lake house
8

Richard returns to the lake house and dies

That evening, Richard somehow crawls back to the lake house and dies on the floor. The group realizes the gravity of their crime as fear and panic mount. Their fear drives further cover-ups and violence.

That night Lake house
9

Graham confronts the cover-up; Kristen finds the ticket

Graham demands that they take Richard's body to the police, but Kristen volunteers to drive it there and then turns back when she spots the lottery ticket on Richard's body. Graham sees her and realizes Jason pushed Richard, refusing to help. Kristen then manipulates Jason into silencing Graham by knocking him out and using a fire iron.

That night Lake house and nearby road
10

Amber arrives; plan to lure them off a cliff

Amber drives to the lake house as Kristen orchestrates a plan for Jason to drive Richard and Graham off a cliff while Amber is distracted. The car sequence intensifies the danger and shows how far the group will go to hide their crimes. The moment escalates the tension toward a deadly conclusion.

Evening Lake house and road near the cliff
11

Search for Graham; the car wreck is found

The next morning Amber convinces the group to search for Graham and they find a wrecked car. They report it to the police, but the truth remains hidden behind lies and fear. The discovery deepens the cover-up and increases the risk for everyone involved.

Next morning Road near the lake
12

Tapes reveal the truth; break-in at Amber's house

Jason discovers Kristen has lied about several things, while Amber uncovers camcorder tapes of the group discussing the lottery ticket. They break into Amber's house to retrieve the tape, and Amber calls the police. The tapes expose the conspiracy and raise the stakes for everyone.

After the car wreck Amber's house
13

Scratch-off ruse and climactic chase

Kristen buys new scratch-off tickets and she and Jason attempt to redeem them, only to learn they are invalid since purchased after the drawing. Amber arrives with a police officer, but Jason knocks him out and they flee. A later crash into a gas truck triggers an explosion that kills Kristen and Jason.

Same day Road during the chase and nearby gas truck
14

Amber uncovers a potential grand prize

Amber later watches camcorder footage showing Richard planning to trick Kristen with an invalid lottery ticket. She scratches off Kristen's new tickets and discovers a genuine grand-prize ticket, a revelation she keeps from her friend Maria. The ending hints at a future twist and the consequences of the lottery scheme.

After the explosions Amber's house

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:17

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Greed-fueled crime stories like Class Warfare

Stories where a desperate plan for wealth leads to inescapable violence and ruin.If you liked the desperate, violent spiral in Class Warfare, explore this collection of movies where greed corrupts morality and leads to catastrophic consequences. These similar thrillers and crime dramas feature high-stakes schemes, moral decay, and bleak outcomes for characters driven by desperation.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative typically begins with a tantalizing opportunity for wealth that justifies a terrible act. This initial crime fails to resolve cleanly, forcing characters to commit further atrocities in a desperate attempt to cover their tracks. The story escalates relentlessly towards a conclusion where the promised reward is either lost or proves meaningless amidst the destruction left behind.

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These movies are grouped by their shared focus on greed as a primary motivator for crime, leading to a specific narrative pattern of escalating violence and moral collapse. They share a dark, tense tone, fast pacing as plans unravel, and a heavy emotional weight centered on the futility of ill-gotten gains.

Claustrophobic thrillers with moral collapse like Class Warfare

Confined settings where paranoia and bad decisions lead to irreversible consequences.Fans of the tense, confined cabin setting in Class Warfare will find more movies like it here. These similar thrillers use isolated locations to trap characters, forcing confrontations and moral decay. Discover films that share an anxious, paranoid mood and explore the dark side of human nature under pressure.

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Narrative Summary

The story often traps a small group of characters in a single, remote location—a cabin, a motel, a secluded house. Conflict arises from internal tensions, secrets, and a shared desperate goal. The confined space becomes a pressure cooker, accelerating paranoia and betrayal until the situation explodes into violence, with few or no characters emerging unscathed.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their use of a claustrophobic setting to create relentless tension and focus on psychological disintegration. They share an anxious, paranoid mood, a high intensity driven by interpersonal conflict, and a dark tone exploring how isolation and desperation corrupt individuals.

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Class Warfare Summary

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Class Warfare Summary

Characters, Settings & Themes in Class Warfare

Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Class Warfare. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.

Characters, Settings & Themes in Class Warfare

Class Warfare Spoiler-Free Summary

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Class Warfare Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Class Warfare

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