Good People (2014)

And what is good anyway? Who defines what actions are good? Or if good people are not capable of doing bad things? And would that make them bad people? Don't get it twisted though: This is not a philosophical look at those things. If you even remotely asks those questions, it's not because the movie intended to make you think that much. It's your own perception that goes that extra mile (or two).The movie moves along nicely, you can see almost everything coming your way and it's decent, if you're not annoyed by the standard formula this uses. It's nice to see another french actor making the move into "mainstream" Hollywood, even if he's not in it that much. Decent or a time waster, depending on your threshold

Good People is actually a pretty good tense thriller and is nowhere near as bad as some people are making it out to be. Is it pretty predictable at times? Yes. Has it been done before? Yes. That doesn't make it a bad film though.It's main idea is along the same lines as the excellent Shallow Grave, so while it's definitely not an original story it still makes for a decent film in it's own right. There are differences between the two films with the main one being the desperation the main couple, Anna & Tom, find themselves in regarding money. They are struggling to make ends meet and are on the verge of being evicted...Shallow Grave didn't have these elements, so it's the same same box but with different wrapping.The film is pretty slow going at times but it doesn't ever feel boring and even through these moments you're still getting to know about the different characters so while it gets slow at times, the story still develops. It does pick up as it goes on though, so it's not as if it doesn't ever get going, and there is a good amount of tension and suspense throughout to make up for those slower instances.The main characters - on the whole - were well written, but one thing that annoyed me about Anna & Tom was that they had all of this financial trouble yet they were desperate to have a baby. Priorities people! They were also very naive with regards to the money by thinking that they were safe and that no one would be looking for it especially considering the background of their tenant. In saying that though, that is where the story shows how desperation makes them blind to reality. I mean what would YOU do if you were in the same situation and came across 1000s of pounds? The vicious criminal boss Jack Witkowski was played excellently by Sam Spruell who brought a real believability to that character as someone you definitely did not want to upset/double-cross.All in all, Good People isn't a fantastic film, but it's definitely worth a watch.

I generally don't like the "normal people find a lot of money" formula. I understand its value as a dramatic catalyst which invites to explore the reactions and attitudes of characters due to their unexpected richness, as well as the ethic complications that implies. And, in some cases, it also adds a danger element because of the illegal provenance of the money and the criminals who are surely looking for it. I understand the potential of the premise, and I have even liked some films which employed it (such as Shallow Grave and Millions), but in many occasions, it feels like an artificial and lazy trick. That might explain the apathy the film Good People provoked on me. Or it might be one of those mediocre movies, which aren't boring, but without any distinctive element to make it good or bad. Just... meh. James Franco, Kate Hudson and Tom Wilkinson make a credible work in their roles, despite how superficially written their characters are. Good People never reaches the level of dramatic intensity or visual virtuosity in order to capture the spectator beyond a vague curiosity to know how everything is going to end. And when we finally reach the conclusion, it's convenient and improbable. In conclusion, despite the apathy it provoked on me, I can give Good People a slight recommendation, because it managed to keep me moderately entertained.

Hard to ignore some gaping mistakes in the plot:1. The lead character finds the money, but not the briefcase full of "liquid O" that is right behind it. He finds a box full of cash, but does not look in the ceiling again to see if there is more, or anything else up there?2. The thugs find the drugs in the apartment after the police have searched the apartment. The police, suspecting that there is a drug tie-in, never think to look in the drop-down ceiling?3. The couple is about to be evicted, and about to lose "the house." This means the house they are renting? Why not move into the house that he is fixing up and has inherited? It had a roof and walls, and he knows carpentry. No rent to pay if they move into the house, yes? 4. No one seems concerned that a police officer, or someone dressed as a police officer, shot a detective and continued shooting in a public park. Never mentioned on the news they listen to? Never brought up in any of the conversations among the characters?5. When nailing the thug to the floor, the lead male is somehow able to know exactly where both of his feet were positioned, although the floor is solid where he is standing, with none of the cracks that can be seen in other parts of the floor. 6. The same thug, hiding from people with guns, lights a cigarette, which might not seem wise, since smoke could be seen coming from the room where he is hiding, or smelled. But no one does see or smell it, including Khan, who walks right up to, and almost past, the room before being shot at.7. No one tries to put out the fire, which is confined to a small section of the house once the shooting has ended. And of course, the clichés were terrifying--the couple trying to have a child and learning at the end that they were going to have a child. The detective who has lost a child to drugs, and is now seeking to destroy the drug trade? Somehow, the obvious cliché was missed--this couple needed a dog. A dog, wounded in the battle with the drug dealers, but recovered by the end and leaping into their laps after the news that a child is on the way. If you're going to do it badly, go ahead and do it badly.