In London in 1828, two friends, Burke and Hare, find themselves trapped in misery and desperation. Both struggle to survive in a city that offers them few opportunities, but their luck takes an unexpected turn when they discover a lucrative business: trafficking in corpses for medicine. When a neighbor dies and leaves his unused body behind, the pair sees an opportunity for easy money. However, they soon realize that to satisfy the demand from medical schools, they cannot sit idly by.
The situation becomes uncomfortable when they begin committing murders to procure "merchandise." What starts as a series of accidents spirals into a mix of crime and dark comedy, as the two friends try to keep their business afloat and eloquent in the eyes of the authorities. Tension mounts as they become more involved in the world of death, and their increasingly questionable decisions threaten to end their friendship.
Amidst this whirlwind of madness, they encounter a range of colorful characters, from a woman who intrudes into their personal lives to a police inspector who begins to suspect their activities. The film blends black humor with intrigue, offering a glimpse into the lives of two antiheroes who, in their quest for success, collide with the darkest aspects of humanity. With a touch of romance and plenty of hilarity, the story reveals how far the desperate are willing to go.