No Good Deed

"No good Deed", as the DVD is entitled, tells of an off duty cop who stumbles on a house full of bad guys while looking for a lost girl and becomes their prisoner while the messy plot unfolds. Jackson plays a diabetic cop and the cello while Jovovich plays a femme fatale and the piano and their tenuous relationship becomes the only worthy thing developed by the film. Skarsgård (probably the most talented of the cast) and the rest of the core cast play silly caricatures not unlike those found in supermarket paperback novels. This poor attempt at film noir which is adrift between black comedy and shoddy drama is a heavy handed mess lacking finesse, fraught with gaping plot holes, and generally full of filler which contributes nothing to the meager story. Save this turkey (aka: The House on Turk Street) for broadcast when the surfin' is slim. (C+)

The plot: A cop doing a favor for a friend ends up unwillingly getting involved in a heist.

No Good Deed is an interesting neo-noir/heist movie. Sam Jackson, a lonely and frustrated cop, starts off investigating a runaway daughter for his neighbor, only to stumble into a heist that is already underway. Taken hostage, he anxiously awaits his fate while trying to get some kind of angle on his captors.

The captors include a femme fatale, a violent thug, a cultured and domineering mastermind, and a racist elderly couple. They've also got an inside man that they're conning. This quirky group provides some black humor and tension. We're introduced to each character early, and the development is done rather well. The characters play off of each other in interesting ways, though I suppose it's pretty obvious that Jackson is the match to this powder keg. Still, it's fun to watch the requisite backstabbing, double-crosses, and con games as they play out.

If you're looking for a slick, fast-paced thriller, you might end up being a bit bored or disappointed. The biggest problem is that the whole thing is a bit predictable, though you'll probably forgive that if you're a fan of the actors or neo-noir. It seems worth a 6 or 7, rather than the somewhat mediocre score that it has now.

The film talks how a detective called Jack (Samuel L. Jackson) is assigned by his neighbor to find her disappeared daughter . The tracks lead a house where he's abducted by a group of delinquents (Stellan Skarsgard, Milla Jovovich, Doug Hutchinson) about to pull off a bank robbery . As Jack finds himself being held hostage while the nasty bandits decide what to do with him .

The picture is developed on its first part on the sitting room when our protagonist stumbles upon a bizarre gang of criminals , for that reason is a little tiring ; a bit later on , there starts the action and when the movie is amusing and entertaining . In the intervening period to forward is nice and there is thriller , taut , intrigue and suspense leading to finish at a frenetic action and tension . The final confrontation between the starring and the villain enemies is breathtaking and in complete emotion . Samuel L. Jackson and Milla Jovovich's interpretation is top-notch , both of them make the typical couple from noir cinema . He is impetuous and tough , she's liar , impulsive and beautiful . The supporting actors are magnificent (Skarsgard , Hutchinson and two veterans : Joss Ackland and Grace Zabriskie) . Cinematography by Spanish photographer Juan Ruiz Anchia is pretty good and Jeff Beal's musical score is atmospheric . The picture is a little bit violent but happens cruel murders . The motion picture attained limited success ; besides , it made a few box office because of lack luster and budget . The yarn will appeal to action cinema enthusiasts and Samuel L. Jackson fans . Rating : Decent and passable.

Having watched this film, I became bored after about 30 minutes and as it was only just over 90 minutes long I persevered in the hope it would improve!! No chance!!!

The Gang of Six were the WORST band of thieves ever put together in the history of Film Thieves!! Santa Claus, Granny, Psycho, a Member of the Adams family and 9 Toes! All in sync with the dodgy bloke in the bank, who made it so obvious what was going on, he'd have been sussed in an instance!!!

A slow, boring plot....a slow, boring cast....totally lacked invention and motivation.....PLUS, whatever happened to the missing girl???? If her mother was that bothered, why did she never get suspicious when Jack Friar (S L J) never returned???

Dire, Drab and waste of time...If anyone else gets the chance to watch this....DON'T!

While a cop(Jackson in good form, and yes, he does get to do one cool speech in this) is out searching for a teenager that will never be anything other than a MacGuffin, he stumbles upon a band of quirky criminals looking to steal money from a bank. The femme fatale Erin(a *stunning* Jovovich), Tyrone, the brains of the operation(Skarsgård, threatening without even needing to be armed), Hoop, the slow-witted thief, and the Quarre's, a racist WW2 veteran pilot and his home-maker wife. $10 million is what they expect to get out of it... and that kind of dough can lead to backstabbing. Add to that that Murphy's Law is in effect when they go for the score. This is modern film noir, and it's fairly solid. The characters are all "grey", no black and white, not necessarily likable(not that any of them are annoying), well-cast, credible and well-written. Yes, they have some fun with how odd they are, but not excessively so. This isn't "funny" as such; at most it has sardonic moments and the occasional joke. It isn't about action, either. There's tension and suspense, and the plot is kept moving nicely by many twists and turns. Not everything is followed up on, and the ending doesn't really pack much of a punch... in fact, on the whole, this is a bit of a slow-burner. There is a bit of disturbing content, a little violence and nudity/sexuality. I recommend this for at least a rental for those into crime-dramas. 6/10