Respond to these rapid questions in our Becky quiz and we will tell you which Becky character you are. Play it now.
Cary Murnion and Jonathan Milott enjoy subverting horror conventions, such as having children serve as the focal point of a violent zombie film like “Cooties” or using an unbroken shot structure like in “Bushwick” to create tension. I’m not sure which aspect of their latest film, “Becky,” constitutes more subversion: the fact that it features Kevin James in his first dramatic role or the fact that it is an incredibly violent film with a teen girl protagonist. The first option actually works. In fact, the most depressing aspect of “Becky” is how little Murnion and Milott do with the star of “The King of Queens,” whose performance is by far and away the most memorable aspect of this slog of a film. In this ultra-violent take on “Home Alone,” we meet a precocious teen girl who dispatches bad guys with the dexterity and finesse of a serial killer. That’s where the character of Becky falls apart.
Lulu Wilson portrays the title character, a disgruntled adolescent who enjoys shoplifting and ignoring her father Jeff (Joel McHale). Intercut with footage of a daring prison escape led by James’ Dominick, who is steel-eyed and burly, with a swastika tattooed on the back of his head, during their road trip to a lake house. After arriving at the lake house with her dogs (Diego and Dora, both of whom are adorable), Becky discovers that her father has also invited his girlfriend Kayla (Amanda Brugel) and her son Ty (Isaiah Rockcliffe) to spend the weekend with them as well. After all, Becky’s mother passed away not long ago. At the very least, it wasn’t long enough ago for Becky to be even remotely okay with her father moving on. As a result, when Dominick and a few of his friends arrive at the house in search of a key, the tension is already high.
The rest of “Becky” unfolds in the manner that you would expect based on the plot description. In fact, once the cat and mouse have been placed and have begun their search for each other, the predictability of the game becomes numbingly predictable. The fact that Becky is away from the house when Dominick arrives gives her the opportunity to play with the intruders in the same way Kevin did in “Home Alone,” but with a lot more gore. Because Becky is so much smarter than her attackers, she is able to maneuver around them in ways that, quite frankly, lead to her own demise. In the end, Dominick’s mission is bizarrely unclear (the meaning of the key is purposefully left vague in a way that appears clever but actually lowers the stakes), and as a result, it becomes a classic good versus evil tale. In this case, the good is represented by a teen girl, and the evil is represented by a group of escaped Nazi prisoners.
But you shouldn’t waste any more time and start this Becky quiz.
It is the fact that Becky is a paper-thin vision of an angry teenager with a dead mother that is the most serious problem. She isn’t even an archetype in the traditional sense. Not that Lulu Wilson is to blame, but it appears that no one ever attempted to get under the skin of this title character in order to provide even the most minimal amount of development. More screen time is devoted to Dominick in a single scene, in which the character believes he has been betrayed by Apex (a commanding performance by Robert Maillet), than Becky receives throughout the entire film. Flashbacks to the teen girl’s mother on her deathbed are cheesy, and the entire production reeks of an adult male’s interpretation of the teen girl’s life. As long as we don’t care about Becky, the entire endeavor is a hollow exercise at best.
Becky Quiz
It is made even more hollow by a lack of attention to detail in the direction and an aggressive score that attempts to compensate for a lack of genuine tension in the film…. In order to create a home invasion film that takes place almost entirely in one location, the cinematography and scene construction must be consistent and clear. We don’t have either of these things here. Knowing where the good guys are and where the bad guys are, as well as what’s in between and what’s at stake, causes a buildup of tension in the air. In this regard, “Becky” fails miserably, staging each interaction between Becky and her attacker as if it were a separate event on a dull set. Make good use of your available space. Make use of the environment you’ve created. Make use of more than just weapons to sever the limbs of your adversaries.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Becky quiz.
Kevin James does an excellent job here once again. Several people have suggested that, following the success of “Uncut Gems,” directors such as the Safdies should cast Adam Sandler’s friend in a juicy comedy/thriller role. If anything positive comes out of “Becky,” it will be evidence that he is capable of playing such a role. The scene simply needs to be in a better film.
About the quiz
Today, June 5, is the first day of VOD availability.Also, you must try to play this Becky quiz.
For more personality quizzes check this: Promising Young Woman Quiz.
