Ferdinando Cito Filomarino directed Beckett, a 2021 English-language action thriller film. Boyd Holbrook, Vicky Krieps, and Alicia Vikander also feature in the picture, which stars John David Washington as an American tourist on vacation in Greece who becomes the subject of a search following an accident and must reach the embassy to clear his reputation.
Beckett made its international premiere on August 4, 2021, at the 74th Locarno Film Festival, and Netflix released it online on August 13, 2021. Critics gave the picture a mixed response.
Movie Info
- Director: Ferdinando Cito Filomarino
- Writers: Kevin A. Rice (screenplay by) Ferdinando Cito Filomarino (story by)
- Genres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Countries of origin: Italy, Brazil
- Languages: English, Greek
- Also known as: Born to Be Murdered
- Filming locations: Trikala, Greece
- Production companies: Frenesy Film Company, MeMo Films, RT Features
Plot
Beckett, an American tourist, and his girlfriend April flee Athens, Greece, due to political instability. Beckett falls asleep at the wheel and smashes their car into a nearby home while traveling to their accommodation in a mountain town in the Epirus area. April is killed in the disaster, but Beckett observes a kid being rushed out of the home by a blonde lady while stuck in the wreckage.
The next day, Beckett is interviewed by Xenakis, a local police officer, who informs him that he was fortunate that the home he crashed into was abandoned; nonetheless, Beckett tells Xenakis about seeing the kid and the lady. Beckett comes home after leaving the police station with the intention of killing himself, but the blonde lady reappears and fires at him before he can do so. Soon after, Xenakis comes and informs him it is safe to come out of hiding, but when he does, Beckett is shot in the arm by both the lady and Xenakis, who are after him. Beckett flees by jumping off a cliff.
Beckett is discovered after spending the night in an abandoned vehicle by a party of hunters, who bring him back to town, with one of them taking him to his house to tend to his injuries. Xenakis and the lady come shortly after, and Beckett flees via a window. He comes into two beekeepers who loan him their phone. He contacts the US embassy in Athens, but unable to wait for their assistance, Beckett informs them that he will travel to the embassy on his own. He takes a train to return to Athens, but Xenakis spots him and tries to apprehend him, but Beckett activates the train’s emergency brake, and Xenakis is wounded in the foot in the following battle, allowing Beckett to flee once again.
Beckett notices two activists, Lena and Eleni, putting up posters of the youngster. They inform him the youngster is Dimos Karras, the abducted son of a liberal politician who is reportedly being held captive by a far-right group. They drive Beckett to Athens, but he must split up with them to escape a police roadblock, so he takes the metro to the US embassy, where he is assaulted by a knife-wielding guy. After making it to the embassy, he is welcomed by embassy employee Tynan, who informs him that April’s body has been delivered to the embassy, and Beckett is escorted to the mortuary to see her.
Tynan promises to take Dimos to an honest officer to straighten things out when Beckett informs him about Dimos’ captors and activists. Tynan tries to subdue Beckett with a taser after leaving the embassy, but he manages to flee. Beckett meets up with Lena and Eleni to warn them about Tynan, but Tynan comes shortly after with the cops and pursues Beckett to a political event. Shots ring out at the gathering, and Beckett seeks cover in a cellar, where he is caught by Tynan, who informs him that Dimos Karras’ father has been killed during the rally. Tynan claims that Karras had secretly owed money to an organized criminal organization, who abducted his son in retribution but blamed his political opponents, indicating that the US had a role in the deceit. They went for Beckett because they were afraid he had discovered the truth about Dimos’ kidnapping. Despite Tynan’s assurances that he is now free to leave because Karras is dead, Beckett knocks him out.
Beckett returns to the protest location to visit Lena and Eleni, but instead finds the blonde lady who took Dimos. He pursues her to a parking garage, where she meets Xenakis, who has Dimos imprisoned in his trunk. Beckett shoots Xenakis in the hand and battles with the blonde lady before they can flee. He gets shot, but manages to knock her down, and then chases after Xenakis as he attempts to flee. Beckett jumps onto the car from the top of the parking garage and knocks out Xenakis, allowing Dimos to be rescued. Beckett looks down at his palm in the last scene and finds a heart April had painted on his hand before the collision, musing on how he should have died.
Cast
- John David Washington as Beckett.
- Boyd Holbrook as Stephen Tynan.
- Vicky Krieps as Lena
- Alicia Vikander as April Hanson
- Maria Votti as Eleni
- Panos Koronis as Officer Xenakis.
- Lena Kitsopoulou as a woman.
Production
John David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holbrook, and Vicky Krieps were cast in the picture, which will be produced by Luca Guadagnino, in April 2019. In Athens, filming had begun earlier that month.
Release
Netflix bought distribution rights to the film, which was then named Born to Be Murdered, in October 2020 and scheduled it for release in 2021. Beckett was revealed as the new title for the film in January 2021. On August 4, 2021, it made its international debut at the 74th Locarno Film Festival. On August 13, 2021, the film was released.
Reaction
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a favorable review from 47 percent of 60 critics, with an average rating of 5.3/10. “Beckett adds a driving intensity to its man-on-the-run plot, but this fairly poorly written thriller fails to constantly engage,” the site’s reviews agree. The film got “mixed or mediocre reviews,” according to Metacritic, which gave it a weighted average of 52 out of 100 based on 24 reviewers.
Is Beckett available on Netflix?
Yep, it is 🙂
Is Beckett based on a true story?
Follow Beckett (the young kid who lived) from his terrible origins to his thrilling career as a Navy SEAL. True stories of faith, family, the military, and the Navy SEALs are used to create this film. This book series is devoted to the men and women who serve in the armed forces of the United States.
Where is Beckett filmed?
The cast of the picture, which will be produced by Luca Guadagnino, was revealed in April 2019. It includes John David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Boyd Holbrook, and Vicky Krieps. Filming had begun in Athens the previous month.
How long is the movie Becket?
2h 29m
Beckett Release Dates
| Switzerland | 4 August 2021 | (opening film) (Locarno Film Festival) |
| United Arab Emirates | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Argentina | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Australia | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Belgium | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Brazil | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Canada | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Germany | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Spain | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| France | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| UK | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Greece | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Hungary | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Indonesia | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| India | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Italy | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Japan | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| South Korea | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Mexico | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Netherlands | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Philippines | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Poland | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Portugal | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Sweden | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Singapore | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| Turkey | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
| USA | 13 August 2021 | (internet) |
Also Known As (AKA)
| (original title) | Beckett |
| Argentina | Beckett |
| Australia | Beckett |
| Brazil (working title) | Born to Be Murdered |
| Brazil | Beckett |
| Canada (English title) | Beckett |
| Canada (French title) | Beckett |
| France | Beckett |
| Germany | Beckett |
| Greece | Μπέκετ |
| Hungary | Beckett |
| India (English title) (working title) | Born to Be Murdered |
| India (Hindi title) | Beckett |
| India (English title) | Beckett |
| Indonesia (English title) | Beckett |
| Italy | Beckett |
| Japan (Japanese title) | ベケット |
| Lithuania | Beketas |
| Mexico (working title) | Born to Be Murdered |
| Mexico | Beckett |
| Netherlands | Beckett |
| Philippines (English title) | Beckett |
| Poland | Beckett |
| Portugal | Beckett |
| Russia | Беккет |
| Singapore (English title) | Beckett |
| Singapore (Mandarin title) | 厄运假期 |
| South Korea | 베킷 |
| Spain (working title) | Born to Be Murdered |
| Spain | Beckett |
| Sweden | Beckett |
| Taiwan | 厄運假期 |
| Turkey (Turkish title) | Beckett |
| United Arab Emirates | بيكيت |
| UK (working title) | Born to Be Murdered |
| UK | Beckett |
| USA | Beckett |