Judging by the observation that almost all the audiences in the albeit small movie theater stayed till the very end of the credits – which by the way is rare in the movie going scene here in Singapore – this Japanese production BECK has certainly touched the audiences’ hearts. BECK is a story about the birth of a rock band, a genre that Cynthia and I in particularly love. I was expecting BECK to be somewhat similar to Nana, another famous Japanese manga that has turned into a TV series and a movie title. BECK is somewhat similar to Nana. The band rivalry is there. Romance too. BECK, I would say, is more on music and raw edges such as danger and violence than Nana. Even though we are a big fan of the Nana franchise, BECK is so much better as a movie.
If you are a music lover, BECK is not to be missed. The music talent these young actors have exhibited is simply sick. Jaw-droppingly sick. A young guitarist returned from US has a vision to form a band, to create music that moves people. Soon, more talents have joined. However, like in real life, chemistry, progress, and opportunity has its dramatic cycles of ups and downs.
There is something unique in the artistic setup of BECK. The second vocalist’s voice that is supposed to move people’s heart is muted. Instead, the camera is focused on the audiences’ reaction and the dramatic mood change that has undergone in the audiences’ mind. I think this is brilliant. Because, something is best left to our imagination.