Becker - Kungen av Tingsryd (2017) User Reviews (4)

A little of everything, but not really anything

[Enchorde · 3/10 · 3 December 2021]

Becker, advertised as a comedy thriller, is a enterprising Swedish movie set in a small rural town where Becker tries to rule the local criminal world. But now two new outsiders tries to move in and take over.

As usual, everything starts well for Becker but slowly everything deteriorates around him. His black market workers doesn't complete the school renovation, his underlings start to work for (are forced to) the outsiders, even his most trusted friend Stefan. His own (legal) furniture shop is threatened. And suddenly a woman turns up and leaves a girl, what is supposed to be his daughter. Soon his very survival seem unsure, so Becker has to do something.

I liked the idea and premise of the movie. If done well, these low budget, story driven comedies set in rural towns can be excellent (see Slim Susie (Smala Sussie på svenska) for a good example). But Becker tries to do too much, and be sublime about it at the same time. There is no character that is really able to deliver a fun dialog or some witty remarks (Becker tries to sometimes but fails). There is not really any good physical comedy, as the movie then would not be the thriller it also tries to be. There is very little action at all.

What there is is a lot of subplots. The polish workers and the school. The contract for the ice rink and the politicians, his kid, Stefan and his wife and I may forget a few. All of which are introduced, sometimes alluded to but never really explored or resolved. So when the main plot ends, and Becker gets rid of his competition, the movie just ends with stating that Becker is at the top of the world. Not a word about of how they took care of Stefan, his best friend and co-worker, that died. Not a word about how Stefan's wife reacted. Not a word about how Becker and his daughters wife resolved their issues. And the rink is totally forgotten. So, the movie tries to do very much, but in doing that, it never really does anything. It would have been so much better to concentrate on one subplot and really do that. And choose genre. Is it a comedy, or a thriller?

Again... an example of how to do it. Watch Smala Sussie.

Wobbly and Tasty as Watermelon

[soapytiger · 7/10 · 17 August 2020]

I see this film has taken some bad reviews, but I genuinely disagree. I would guess that most of those who have rated this film are Swedish, and that this film did not measure up to some standard of expectation.

As an outsider living in Sweden, this film lands extremely close to the bizarre types of interactions and situations I've experienced. Nothing feels connected to anything, the rules are unspoken, off-center, and seemingly arbitrary.

There is a saying which has been offered to me on several separate occasions by different random people I've met; An American is like a peach, very soft and fuzzy and gooey on the outside, but stone-cold and hard at the core (friendly, but ultimately unmovable). A Swede is like a watermelon, very hard and thick on the outside, but once you get past that, it's soft, watery and gooey everywhere on the inside (difficult to know, but internally smooshy).

That feeling was captured in this film, far better than I've seen in other Swedish films. I imagine that a Swede would wholly disagree with my take, choosing not to allow a solitary mention of a perceived wobble in their collective self image. However, as one who was not raised within the Swedish culture I live in and with, the oddity of this film and its rhythm are both familiar and enjoyable.

Fantastic offbeat swedish comedy thriller

[davidbjoh · 8/10 · 29 September 2018]

In my opinion, this movie is a sublime example, of how to make an interesting movie, with probably a very small Hollywood budget. The comedy is underlying even though nothing funny is said. The badassness of the film is scaled down, so it fits with the community of Tingsryd, nevertheless it achieves alot om excitement with simple storytelling. I Love this movie, and I would recommend "Jätten" also , if you liked the style of this movie.

Was very surprised. Really good movie only one nitpick though

[phantomerik-59442 · 8/10 · 23 October 2021]

Saw this one in the cheap DVD´s in my nearest supermarket. Costed less than one dollar (In swedish money)

The movie was good and had both good story and actors. There were funny exiting and even sad scenes in the movie.

One nitpick though. Its filmed in Tingsryd and has no scenes from the famous supermarket Börjes or the adventure water land. Just like make a movie in Ullared and forget to have the store in the movie.