Good People (film)

Good People

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz
Produced by Avi Lerner
Benjamin Forkner
Ed Cathell III
Eric Kranzler
Tobey Maguire
Screenplay by Kelly Masterson
Based on Good People 
by Marcus Sakey
Starring James Franco
Kate Hudson
Omar Sy
Tom Wilkinson
Sam Spruell
Music by Neil Davidge
Cinematography Jørgen Johansson
Edited by Paul Tothill
Production
company
Film 360
Maguire Entertainment
Material Pictures
Distributed by Millennium Films
Release dates
  • August 12, 2013 (Lithuania)
  • September 26, 2014 (United States)
Running time
 90 minutes[1]
Country United States
Language English
Box office $16,101 (US domestic video sales)[2]

Good People is a 2013 American thriller action film directed by Henrik Ruben Genz and written by Kelly Masterson, based on Marcus Sakey's 2008 novel of same name.[3] The film stars James Franco, Kate Hudson, Omar Sy, Tom Wilkinson, and Sam Spruell and tells the story of an American couple, Tom and Anna Wright, living in London who fall into severe debt while renovating their family’s home.[4] The film was released in select theaters and on demand on 26 September 2014.[5]

Plot

The story begins with four men pulling a heist together. The men rob a man named Khan (Omar Sy), a well known French heroin dealer, of his drugs and money. Ben Tuttle and Bobby emerge from the building first. Ben shoots Bobby and runs off with all of the money and drugs. The two other men, Jack Witkowski (Sam Spruell) and Marshall, exit later. They find Bobby dead, and run off before they get caught.

Tom Wright (James Franco) and his wife Anna (Kate Hudson) are living in London and have fallen into severe debt while renovating their family's home. They are trying to have a baby, but have been unsuccessful thus far. After their downstairs tenant doesn't respond to their requests to keep it down, the couple goes downstairs to discover their neighbor, Ben, is dead. The official cause of death is ruled a heroin overdose by the police. While cleaning the apartment, the Wrights discover £220,000 in a loose ceiling tile. The couple debates what to do with the money, as well as the remainder of Ben's things. After some time, Tom spends some money on paying off the house they were renovating, and Anna spends some money to go to a fertility clinic. Meanwhile, Detective Halden (Tom Wilkinson) is suspicious the Wrights are withholding information. He begins tracking their movements, as he seems to believe Ben's death is connected to his daughter's.

A man is shown being threatened by Jack Witkowski to reveal the location of his cousin, Ben. As soon as he reveals his location, he is killed. Witkowski and his partner Marshall break into Ben's old apartment to look for the money. They are unsuccessful. Khan approaches Tom Wright about his money, claiming that Tom must choose a side, his or Jack Witkowski's. Tom refuses to choose a side and when Tom arrives home, Witkowski is waiting for him. Witkowski tortures Tom, but Tom refuses to give up the location of the money. Detective Halden arrives and Witkowski and his partner run off. Halden tells the Wrights he wants to use them as bait, off the books, to arrest Witkowski, as Witkowski has inside connections with law enforcement.

The Wrights schedule a money drop with Witkowski, and then meet with Detective Halden and Khan separately to devise a plan. During the drop, Witkowski makes Halden as a cop and Marshall shoots Halden. The Wrights run off with the money and Khan tells the Wrights they are on their own, as he believes he has been played. Halden is shown recovering in the hospital, as he was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Witkowski and his men take Anna's friend Sarah and her baby, Julian, hostage. The Wrights agree to meet Witkowski at the house the Wrights were renovating, where they've been hiding. The Wrights inform Halden of the plan and rig the house in preparations for their meeting. Witkowski falls through the floor and Jack puts nails through Marshall's feet. Khan and his men arrive at the house, to the surprise of everyone. Halden arrives at the house and kills one of Khan's men with his car as Sarah and her baby escape, but Halden is knocked unconscious. A game of cat and mouse ensues throughout the house between Khan and his men, Witkowski and Marshall, and the Wrights. Khan's other man is killed by Tom and Khan kills Witkowski. Tom fights and kills Khan. Anna struggles with Marshall until Halden kills Marshall. The movie ends with the house burning to the ground, the Wrights moving out of their apartment, and Anna announcing her pregnancy to Tom.

Cast

Production

Principal photography began on June 1, 2013 at Shepperton Studios and also filmed in London.[3][6] Franco and Hudson were spotted filming a scene in London on July 2.[7]

Reception

Good People was panned by critics. It currently holds a 12% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 17 reviews with the consensus: "Good People goes from being simply pedestrian to outright preposterous without batting an eye."

References

External links