Good People

This is an enjoyable London-set thriller. Despite its action-styled poster, it's actually not your average good-people-caught-up-in-trouble chase thriller. What's surprising is how much like real, innocent people James Franco and Kate Hudson appeared to be, as usually in films like this the protagonists turn very quickly into action heroes. But Franco and Hudson keep the worry, the panic, that fish-out-of-water believability that is crucial in moral dilemma narratives like this. And instead of going head-on with the bad guys (although it does happen in the final First Blood-in-a-house showdown, which I still thought was intense and thrilling), they resort to silence and liasing with Tom Wilkinson's detective character for a result. You also buy Franco and Hudson as a couple, her as a teacher and him as a handyman.

The dialogue was nice, and the film takes its time. Nothing too special, but it flowed better than most Hollywood thrillers that I see, more in the vein of a BBC crime drama (and being that it is set in the UK, it fit that mould nicely).

I suppose the bad guys in the film are rather shallow and undeveloped. And the gorgeous Anna Friel was under-utilized. But I had a good time at the cinema watching Good People. I'll take this type of film over Fast & Furious 7 and Need for Speed any day of the week.

B

I watched this last year and remember it being OK but couldn't tell you anything else about it. I think I gave it a C or C+.

I liked it. I'd probably give it a 7/10 (B-).