Becoming (2020) - Moria Reviews

Becoming – not to be confused with the Michelle Obama documentary Becoming (2020) that came out around the same time – is the fifth film ... Skiptocontent Rating: ★★★ USA.2020. Crew Director/Screenplay–OmarNaim,Producers–GabyWhiteHart,TobyKebbell,ColePayne,MichaelPhilip&GlenReynolds,Photography–MatthewIrving,Music–JacobBunton,VisualEffects–CannonballVFX(Supervisor–TarekSaleh),ProductionDesign–JamesC.Wise.ProductionCompany–TraverseMedia/ImmediateMediaPartners/120dbFilms/LunacyProductions. Cast TobyKebbell(AlexFerry),PenelopeMitchell(LisaCorrigan),JasonPatric(KevinLee),JeffDanielPhillips(GlennHemming),StephenRider(JustinMoore),LewTemple(EliasLee),BethBroderick(AngelaCorrigan),MelissaBolona(AnnieHemming),JohnNewberg(GregCorrigan),DanSouthworth(TomKermode).AlexanderEssex(YoungKevinLee) Plot AlexFerryandLisaCorriganhavejustbecomeengagedandaretravellingacrosscountrytomeetherparents.TheystopofftovisitAlex’sonlylivingrelative,hisuncleGlennHemming.LisafindsGlennoff-puttingandinsiststheyleavefirstthinginthemorning.Whiletheyarethere,Glenn’swifeAnniesneaksLisaanotetellinghertofindaKevinLeeinIowa.Aftertheydepart,LisafindsthatAlexisactingstrangely.HisbehaviourbecomesnoticeablydifferentbeforeAlexcollapsesandistakenintohospital.LisaseeksoutKevinLee,acrazylivinginacaravan.HetellsherthatAlexhasbeentakenoverbyanentityhundredsofyearsoldthatpassesbetweenbodies,inhabitingthemandthenkillingofftheoriginal.LisathinksthisiscrazybutasshereturnstoAlex,theentitybecomesevenmoreextremeinitsdeterminationtosurvive. Becoming–nottobeconfusedwiththeMichelleObamadocumentaryBecoming(2020)thatcameoutaroundthesametime–isthefifthfilmfromOmarNaim,anexpatriateJordanianwhosefirstappearedwiththedocumentaryGrandTheater:ATaleofBeirut(1999).WhatcaughtmyattentionwasNaim’sfirstworkoffictionTheFinalCut(2004),asmartandintelligentscience-fictionfilmstarringRobinWilliamsasamanwhoeditsmemoriesforaliving,whichneverquitereceivedthedueitshouldhave.SincethenOmarNaïmhasmadethesupernaturalfilmDeadAwake(2010)andco-directedthedocumentaryStandUp:Muslim-AmericanComicsComeofAge(2009),beforereturningtogenrematerialwithBecoming. PossessionfilmshavebeenwithuseversincethesilenteraandTheHandsofOrlac(1924).ForthelastfortyyearsthetopichasbecomedominatedbyTheExorcist(1973).Therehasalsobeenthethemeofthebody-hoppingentityhasbeenconductedanumberoftimes,mostnotablywithTheHidden(1987).ThelastcoupleofyearshaveseenanexceptionalseriesoftreatmentsofthethemeofpossessionandbodyhoppingwithworkssuchasEveryDay(2018),Lifechanger(2018)andPossessor(2020). Becomingisoftenafilmthatfeelsthatithasbeenconceivedintermsofaseriesofdisorientingtwistsandturnsdesignedtojerkusaroundthemomentwethinkweknowwhatisgoingon.ThefilmopensonascenewithTobyKebbellbeingheldaprisonerbyLewTemple,beforeTempleisdistractedbytheappearanceofhiskid(AlexanderEssex)pullingagun,hedemandsthegunfromhimandthenturnsandshootsthekidwithit.Inthenextscene,TobyKebbellisonhiscross-countryjourneywithPenelopeMitchellanditseemsthehappytripoftwopeopleinlove.ThisbecomesabewilderingdisconnectaswehavenoideawhetherthescenewejustsawwithTobyaprisonerwasmeanttobeaflashbackfromsomethingthatwillhappenlaterorissomethingthatoccurredinthepast. TobyKebbellbecomespossessedbyanentity ThencomesthevisittoToby’sunclewhereJeffDanielPhillipsgivesagregariousperformancethatbecomesthreateninglyover-friendly.Amidstthis,thereisthescenewherewifeMelissaBolonafearfullyapproachesPenelopeMitchellwithanotethattellsherto“FindKevinLeeinIowa”andthenquicklyswallowsthenoteasshehearssomeonecoming.PenelopeMitchelldecidesshewantstoleavefirstthinginthemorningbutevenwhentheydotherearesuggestionsthatsomethingisverywrong–JeffDanielPhillipscuttinghiswristsinthebathroomatthesametimeasTobyKebbellwakesup,hiseyeschangingashedoes.Inthesubsequentscenes,weseeTobyKebbellinarestaurantasheswitchestohisotherhandtosignthecheque,whileaboveontherestaurant’stvthereisajoltasanewsitemtellsusthatJeffDanielPhillipsandfamilyhavejustdiedinamurder-suicide. Similarsuchscenescontinuerightthroughout.LikethecompletelybewilderingscenewherethepossessedTobyKebbellgoesoutforadriveandthenfindsanotherman(DanSouthworth)tryingtogetintohistruckinsistingitishisandthatheistherealAlexFerry,beingabletostatedetailsaboutthetruckthatonlytheownerwouldknow.Inanotherscene,PenelopeMitchellwandersintoajunkyardandispursuedbyamanwhocallsoutwithTobyKebbell’svoice,evenusingToby’sfamiliarnicknameforher. Thisisafilmwhereyouhavenoideawhereitisgoingatall.Ontheotherhand,youdorealiseafterwardsthatsomeofthesetwistsmakenosenseatall.[PLOTSPOILERS].Itisconfusing,forinstance,tryingtoworkoutwhereinthetimelinetheopeningscenewithTobyKebbellbeingheldprisonerismeanttotakeplace.Accordingtotheprogressionofevents,theentitytransfersintoTobyfromtheunclenotEliasLee.Toby’scharacterhasnoknowledgeoftheentitypriortomeetingtheuncleandgivesnoindicationheevermetEliasLee,letalonewasheldprisonerbyhim.Inotherwords,itisaneventthatcouldnotpossiblyhavehappenedaccordingtothefilm’stimeline.Furthermore,iftheentitypassesfrombodytobodykillingthehost,thenwhoisothermanwhoinsiststhetruckishisandhowdidheandTobyendupwiththesameidentityandvehicle?OrforthatmatterwhoisthemanthatpursuesPenelopeMitchellthroughthejunkyardbutspeakswithTobyKebbell’svoice. Normallytheseinconsistenciesandplotholesproveamajorirritationtomeinwatchingafilm.Inthiscase,theconstantprofusionoftwistsandturnsprovedsufficientlyengagingthattheydidn’t.IenjoyedfollowingafilmwhereIgenuinelydidnotknowwherethingsweregoingfromonemomenttothenext.TobyKebbell(whoalsoproduces)establisheshimselfasafineperformer–hisabilitytosnapbetweenpersonalitiescomeswithundeniableeffect. Trailerhere Director:OmarNaïm Actors:TobyKebbell,PenelopeMitchell,JasonPatric,JeffDanielPhillips,StephenRider,LewTemple,BethBroderick,MelissaBolona,JohnNewberg,DanSouthworth.AlexanderEssex Category:Horror Themes:Possession,BodyswapandIdentityExchange,Filmsof2020 Searchfor: Related Betaal(2020) TheDarkandtheWicked(2020) DarkIntruder(1965) TheBlackcoat’sDaughter(2015) TheNight(2020) TheSwarm(2020) TheWidow(2020) MysticsinBali(1981) Amulet(2020) GhostStories(2020) Luz(2018) Vampiresvs.TheBronx(2020) TheWolfofSnowHollow(2020) ShadowintheCloud(2020) ComePlay(2020) #Alive(2020) Rent-a-Pal(2020) SatanicPanic(2019) Becky(2020) WeHuntTogether(2020) RecentPosts Sakuya,TheSlayerofDemons(2000) Carmilla(2019) TimmyFailure:MistakesWereMade(2020) Ghostbusters:Afterlife(2021) TheNight(2020) SantoandBlueDemonvstheMonsters(1970) TheTwilightPeople(1972) Sharkenstein(2016) TheStudentofPrague(1913) TheMapofTinyPerfectThings(2021) Don’tLookUp(2021) Encanto(2021) Stickman(2017) BlindDate(1984) Director’sCut(2016) Pizza(2014) TheSwarm(2020) TheMatrixResurrections(2021) ResidentEvil:WelcometoRaccoonCity(2021) AcesGoPlacesII(1983) GhostChasers(1951) TheExorcismofAnnaEcklund(2016) Mother/Android(2021) Antlers(2021) ABoyCalledChristmas(2021) ThemeEssays Jumptotop