Good People, based on the novel by Marcus Sakey - 7 out of 10

Good People, based on the novel by Marcus Sakey
7 out of 10


Good People does not qualify as a memorable, outstanding motion picture, but we could classify it as...

Good Movie

The trio of artists involved in this production is wonderful:

James Franco as Tom Wright
Kate Hudson in the role of Anna Wright, the wife of the protagonist and last but not least, one of the best actors in the world:

Tom Wilkinson as detective John Halden

Anna and Tom have departed from America, where aft the crisis, the landscape architect found himself out of a job.
This they would explain to the investigating detective, perhaps half way through the film.

But in the early stages, they live in the same house with a tenant that dies at the lower floor.
The young couple find a bag with over two hundred thousand pounds...was it 220 k?

They talk about doing the proper thing, reporting it.
But they face tremendous financial pressure.

Indeed, they have just received a warning, an eviction notice and if they do not pay in days, they would loose the house, which seems to have been inherited from a late relative.
Therefore, Tom pays the money to keep the house.

Anna would also spend on a fertility treatment so that she would be able to have a baby.
Detective John Halden arrives on the premises, interested to find out what happened to the dead tenant.

The autopsy indicated an overdose and the man has indeed some ghastly connections.
The investigator asks the young man and his wife about what they do in England, what they know about the late man in their basement.

The couple say nothing about the money, explain that he works in construction and have not noticed anything particular about the dead tenant.
Meanwhile, a gangster is torturing the individual who had recommended the late criminal on his pool table.

The abused victim has to say where this connection has disappeared and where the money is.
After putting a ball into his mouth and tormenting the helpless prisoner, he writes the address and then is killed anyway, with the pool stick pushed down his thought and body.

These vicious thugs would now confront Anna and Tom.
Furthermore, there are two competing mobsters that claim the right to have the bag with cash.

The detective has supervised the transactions made by Tom and he tells the two Good People that they need to cooperate of face prosecution and then jail.
He wants them to work as bait for the criminals, guaranteeing protection.

Evidently, it will not be a cakewalk.
The boss of the detective and presumably others in the reputedly spotless Scotland Yard are in cahoots with the drug dealers and crime lords.

The is an attempt to give the money back to the gangsters and walk free, with the police arresting them.
This first try fails.

Then the criminals resort to kidnapping and a final confrontation would oppose all forces:

Good versus Evil

It is alas implausible that ordinary, Good People would be able to accomplish what we see them do in this action feature.
But, if you assume that these are extreme situations and when pushed to the edge people find incredible resources, maybe you can buy the storyline.