Kevin James' role in the dark thriller Becky proves that his long-time friend and collaborator Adam Sandler has held him back. Actor and comedian Kevin James is primarily known for his long-standing collaboration with Adam Sandler, but he's also been hugely successful in his own right. After establishing himself as a popular comic and making a handful of appearances on Everybody Loves Raymond, Kevin James got his big break with a leading role on the sitcom King of Queens. His movie career took off during King of Queens' run, and it was during this time James started to collaborate with Adam Sandler.

The pair's collaboration started with Kevin James' cameo in 50 First Dates and continued with films such as I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry and You Don't Mess with the Zohan. James and Sandler have starred together in several films, and Sandler has also acted as a producer on a number of other films starring James, making their on-screen partnership one of Kevin James' longest-running and most important. However, this has contributed to James' career in an oddly specific way: he's often considered just another comedian repeatedly cast in comedies due to his friendship with Adam Sandler.

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However, Kevin James also appeared in the 2020 thriller Becky as Dominick, a violent Neo-Nazi who holds a family hostage. Though Becky was Kevin James' first notable villain role, it's a part he plays remarkably well, especially as the thriller lacks any semblance of comedy. James' competence as a villain shows that his regular collaborations on Adam Sandler's movies have actually held his career back, as it's likely prevented him from taking or even being considered for more serious roles.

Kevin James' Villain Role In Becky Proves He's Wasted In Comedies

kevin james and lulu wilson in becky

Kevin James' role as Dominick in Becky is the first definitive proof that he's capable of acting outside of comedy. Though many of his roles have given him a chance to use his dramatic chops, all of his most notable roles have featured elements of comedy, which have contributed to James' reputation as a big-screen funnyman. However, playing the Neo-Nazi villain in the ultraviolent Becky gave James a chance to showcase the range of his talent, and it proves that Adam Sandler's movies have stunted his career potential.

Being seen as little more than an Adam Sandler collaborator and sitcom star, Kevin James has spent over two decades being consistently cast in more comedies and sitcoms, often in very similar roles. Playing a part as far from that typecasting as possible, James really shines, bringing a deeply unsettling energy to the villain role that proves he's capable of far more than just comedy. Though Kevin James' friendship with Adam Sandler helped his movie career take off, it altered audiences' perception of him in a way that's clearly prevented him from fulfilling his potential.

Of course, it's not Adam Sandler's fault that James' career has been held back. However, had Kevin James not become so closely associated with Adam Sandler's bad comedy movies, it's likely that he'd never have been so heavily typecast, and he could have been afforded a wider variety of roles long before playing Dominick in Becky. This certainly makes it seem as though Kevin James' regular collaborations with Adam Sandler have indirectly had a negative impact on his career, although Becky proves he possesses a greater reserve of talent than he gets credit for.