Lulu Wilson
Becky
Overview
A teenager's weekend at a lake house with her father takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts wreaks havoc on their lives.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Girl Who Would Not Scream
I’ve seen this trick before. A child, cornered by monsters, fights back with whatever’s at hand—pencils, gardening shears, the brittle fury of a broken heart. It’s Home Alone with blood, or The Girl with All the Gifts without the metaphor. Becky knows the formula, and for most of its runtime, it doesn’t care if you do too.
What’s surprising isn’t that it works, but that it works this well.
The film opens with a match cut so sharp it feels like a paper cut. A prison transport van swerves, doors fly open, and in the next breath, we’re in a car with Becky (Lulu Wilson) and her father Jeff (Joel McHale), driving to a lakeside cabin for a weekend of forced bonding. The transition is so seamless it’s almost cruel—one kind of violence bleeding into another.
The convicts, led by Dominick (Kevin James), aren’t just escaped; they’re released, like a pressure valve turned the wrong way. And Becky? She’s already simmering, a 13-year-old pressure cooker of grief and rage, her mother’s death still fresh enough to taste like copper in her mouth.
The directors, Cary Murnion and Jonathan Milott, have a knack for sleek brutality. Their camera doesn’t flinch—it leans in. When Dominick’s henchman Apex (Robert Maillet) pins Becky to the floor, the shot lingers on her face, not his.
We see the calculation in her eyes before the scream. This isn’t a child playing at survival; it’s a girl who’s already learned that the world rewards the ruthless. The gore isn’t gratuitous—it’s earned.
A pencil through an eyeball isn’t just shock value; it’s the moment Becky stops being a victim and starts being something else entirely. (I’ll admit, I winced. Then I cheered.
Then I felt guilty for cheering. That’s the film’s power: it makes you complicit.)
Lulu Wilson carries the movie like a lit fuse. She’s been here before—Ouija: Origin of Evil, The Haunting of Hill House—but Becky lets her stretch. There’s a physicality to her performance that’s startling.
Watch the way she moves: shoulders hunched, hands always working, like she’s trying to claw her way out of her own skin. When she finally snaps, it’s not with a scream but with a cold, methodical precision. The girl who couldn’t look her father in the eye at the start of the film is the same one who, by the end, stares down a grown man and doesn’t blink.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.2/10
"A gritty but uneven revenge thriller with a standout young lead, held back by uneven pacing and tonal shifts."
Lulu Wilson’s performance as Becky is widely praised for bringing depth and intensity to the role, making her character’s journey compelling despite the film’s flaws. latestnetflix.com's view is that the action sequences and dark tone are appreciated, but the story’s predictability and some over-the-top moments leave viewers divided, with many feeling the film doesn’t fully deliver on its potential.
What viewers praise
- Strong lead performance Lulu Wilson’s portrayal of Becky is highlighted as the film’s strongest element, with viewers praising her ability to convey both vulnerability and fierce determination.
- Intense action sequences The film’s action scenes, particularly those involving Becky’s revenge, are noted for their gritty and engaging execution.
- Dark, revenge-driven tone The film’s unflinching approach to its revenge theme resonates with viewers who enjoy darker, more visceral storytelling.
- Kevin James’s surprising role Kevin James’s shift to a villainous role is seen as a refreshing departure from his usual comedic persona, adding an unexpected layer to the film.
Common complaints
- Predictable plot The story follows familiar revenge thriller tropes, leaving little room for surprises or originality in its narrative.
- Uneven pacing Some viewers find the film’s pacing inconsistent, with moments of slow build-up followed by rushed or abrupt developments.
- Tonal whiplash The mix of dark violence and occasional attempts at humor or lighter moments feels jarring and disrupts the film’s overall tone.
- Underdeveloped side characters Supporting characters, including Joel McHale’s role, are seen as thinly written and lacking depth, weakening the film’s impact.
Recommended for
Revenge thriller fans Lulu Wilson admirers Dark action movie lovers Kevin James’s non-comedy roles fans Low-budget thriller enthusiasts
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Becky (2020): A Gritty Action-Thriller with Surprising Depth
Becky (2020) arrived as a dark horse in the action-thriller genre, blending brutal violence with emotional weight. Directed by Cary Murnion and Jonathan Milott, the film stars Lulu Wilson as the titular character, a grieving teenager who unleashes vengeance on a gang of escaped convicts led by Kevin James. latestnetflix.com's take is that while the premise might sound like standard revenge fare, the behind-the-scenes choices—and the film’s reception—reveal a project that defied expectations.
A Role Reversal for Kevin James
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuhzQBRrlc4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgZqT2hXW6E
Kevin James, best known for his comedic roles in The King of Queens and Paul Blart: Mall Cop, took a sharp turn into villainy in Becky. His portrayal of Dominick, the ruthless leader of the convict gang, shocked audiences accustomed to his lighthearted persona. The shift wasn’t just a gimmick—James reportedly embraced the role with intensity, delivering a performance that critics called "chilling" 
. The directors later revealed that James was their first and only choice for the part, citing his ability to balance menace with unexpected depth .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSu99y-hq0M
Lulu Wilson, who had already made a name for herself in horror films like Annabelle: Creation, was another standout. At just 14 years old, she carried much of the film’s emotional weight, portraying Becky’s grief and rage with raw authenticity. The directors praised her professionalism, noting that she handled the film’s violent scenes with maturity beyond her years .
A Low-Budget Gamble with High Stakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzkp1a5NzoA
Becky was produced on a modest budget, a fact that makes its action sequences even more impressive. The film’s climactic fight scenes, particularly Becky’s brutal showdown with Dominick, were shot with practical effects to maximize realism. The directors avoided excessive CGI, opting instead for stunt coordination and practical gore to heighten the tension . This approach paid off, with critics highlighting the film’s visceral impact .
The movie’s tone was another deliberate choice. While Becky fits squarely in the revenge-thriller genre, it also explores themes of grief and trauma. The directors described it as a "dark fairy tale," blending the brutality of True Grit with the emotional rawness of The Girl with All the Gifts . This duality—both a pulpy action flick and a character study—helped it stand out in a crowded field.
Mixed Reception and a Cult Following
Despite its strengths, Becky received mixed reviews upon release. Some critics praised its bold storytelling and Wilson’s performance, while others found its violence gratuitous . The film holds a 6.8/10 on SensCritique, with a 5.8/10 average rating from over 600 votes . However, its unapologetic tone and unexpected emotional core earned it a cult following, particularly among fans of gritty, character-driven thrillers.
The film’s legacy was solidified when a sequel, The Wrath of Becky, was announced in 2023, with Wilson reprising her role . While details about the sequel’s production remain scarce, its existence speaks to the original’s impact.
The Directors’ Vision: A Dark Coming-of-Age Story
Murnion and Milott have been vocal about their intention to subvert expectations with Becky. In interviews, they described the film as a "revenge fantasy with teeth," one that forces audiences to confront uncomfortable questions about violence and justice . Their approach was to avoid glorifying Becky’s actions, instead presenting them as a desperate, almost primal response to trauma.
The directors also revealed that the film’s ending was a subject of debate during production. Some wanted a more conventional resolution, but Murnion and Milott insisted on keeping the finale ambiguous, leaving Becky’s fate—and her moral reckoning—open to interpretation . This choice divided audiences but reinforced the film’s commitment to its themes.
Final Verdict: A Flawed but Fearless Film
Becky isn’t a perfect movie, but its ambition and boldness make it memorable. It’s a rare action-thriller that balances visceral thrills with emotional depth, thanks in large part to Wilson’s performance and James’ surprising turn as a villain. While its reception was mixed, the film’s cult following and upcoming sequel suggest it struck a chord with audiences craving something darker and more complex than typical revenge fare.
For fans of gritty, character-driven action, Becky delivers—flaws and all.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.