The Last Temptation of Becky

Grade: C+

The Last Temptation of Becky’s title is an obvious homage to Martin Scorsese’s The Last Temptation of Christ. I’ve never seen it, but I, too, have drawn inspiration from that name. I have a song on my fourth album called “The Last Temptation of Steve.” This is the third Becky movie. I have not seen the previous two. So, why in the world did I give The Last Temptation of Becky a shot? Lulu Wilson brought me to it, and Neil Patrick Harris in the cast sweetened the deal. I first saw Wilson earlier this year in a delightfully quirky guilty pleasure called Pizza Movie (on Hulu). She’s a great talent.

Wilson plays Becky Hooper. She is now about 19 years old and is working as a field agent for the CIA. We’re given a recap, but in the original 2020 film, neo-Nazis attacked Becky’s family’s lake house to obtain a key that would lead to Adolph Hitler’s underground headquarters. The Last Temptation of Becky has Becky traveling to Poland to dismantle the Nazi insurgence.

The movie has a rating of NR, but I would give it a hard R, for colorful language and over-the-top graphic kills. I like that it wasn’t a sanitized PG-13 action thriller. The franchise has a new director (Jenn Wexler), and she keeps things moving with a fun, occasionally hip sensibility. Lulu Wilson deserves to rise to the top and have a long career. Maybe in 40 years, during her lifetime achievement recognition at the Golden Globes, they’ll embarrass her by including clips from the Becky movies. Otherwise, there’s not much I’m chomping at the bit to say about The Last Temptation of Becky. I can’t say I enjoyed it, but it didn’t rile me up into a frenzy of dislike.

The last shot could be a setup for more Becky installments to come. I’m sure they’ll make it happen. I remember the saying “No good movie is too long, and no bad movie is short enough.” I mostly agree with that. Though The Last Temptation of Becky just barely fell short of my “recommend” zone, it’s short enough and does move along. The best compliment I can give it? I almost liked it.

Grade: C+