PG Score: 6.5/10
Becky is available for streaming
Becky is a fun, over-the-top thriller that will entertain fans of slasher flicks.
Plot
The movie is centered around Lulu Wilson’s Becky, an edgy thirteen-year-old who is angry about the passing of her mother a year prior. She has a strained relationship with her father, Jeff, (Joel McHale) who has recently become engaged to Amanda Brugel’s character, Kayla. While up at the family’s lake house, their home is invaded by escaped Neo-Nazi convicts led by Dominick and three of his men, who are in search of a mysterious key. With her family-to-be held hostage, it’s up to Becky to save them.
Technically Excellent, Directorially So-So
Most of the tense moments come early on as we build up and eventually move into the siege, which sets the stage for the rest of the movie. Excellent editing, framing, and transitions will catch your eye and are complemented with a terrific score by Nima Fakhrara. Despite some wonderful technical elements, the direction by Directors Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion is lacking with a particularly surface-level screenplay, flat characters, and a predictable outcome.
Cast
Major credit should be given to the actors who brought their roles to life and packed a punch in them. Kevin James steals the show with his surprisingly-menacing Dominick, who has a shaved head and Nazi symbols tattooed all over his body. His quiet, unnerving demeanor is a far cry from his jolly, comical characters to which fans are accustomed and he nails it.
He is joined by Apex, a towering behemoth of a righthand man played by Robert Maillet, who adds a unique angle to the plot. Lulu Wilson does a great job of playing a clever, troubled teen who we find out can be quite vindictive. She disposes of her captors in gruesome ways which adds to the farfetched fun. One of the biggest knocks against the film is the MacGuffin-esque key that drives the plot without any exploration into its meaning or why it's desired. Perhaps a more fleshed-out reason or some subtext would be more impactful.
Becky Has Its Moments
Overall, Becky is an enjoyable caper with some tense and brutal moments throughout its brisk 93-minute runtime. If you’re looking for a well-made home invasion thriller that doesn't require much thought, press play and watch the Queen of Angst face off against the King of Queens.
PG Score: 6.5/10
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