User reviews

"No Good Deed" isn't a bad home invasion thriller, but it's completely unremarkable, and merely satisfied with fitting a standard studio woman-in-peril mould. It's not difficult to tell where the events are all leading right from the beginning.

To its credit, the performances from Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson and Leslie Bibb are decent, and the film manages one strong suspense sequence early on (Elba's first encounter with his ex-girlfriend after he leaves prison). There's also one mildly surprising twist in the final third, but its not enough to save a tepid, predictable middle section.

"Deed" is a film is enjoyed best as mindless entertainment on a rainy, stormy night (like the one in the film), with the proviso that you expect a film that trots along an utterly formulaic, seen-it-before path.

I read a lot of reviews before watching, and truly was surprised as this movie was MUCH better than the detractors let on. The acting is great, the storyline, though part of a formulaic genre, is well thought out and moves at a great pace, the dynamic of action/release/suspense/reveal is well timed, and unless you're unbelievably difficult to entertain, you'll not want to be interrupted during any part of this film. Are there plot holes? We debated this and decided it's truly up to your point of view, but the events are actually all completely plausible. Summarily, unless you go into movies for the sole intent of picking them apart and finding things to not like, I guarantee you will be surprised, uncomfortable, freaked out, worried, excited, and ultimately entertained by No Good Deed.

Idris Elba was the man, as a psychotic woman hating murderer who escapes jail and through a series of events, cross paths with Terri, played by Taraji P. Henson, who's was in a troubled marriage and vulnerable to the killer's charms.

It Reminded me of the 1986 movie, Extremities with Farrah Fawcett as the female victim being taken hostage by a criminal looking to steal her "goodies"

I thought No good deed was a lot more cleaver than most movies of this kind. In certain places, it has to fall into line of genre's plot (woman alone in the house without her man, then a scary bad boy comes to the door and charms his way into the lonely women's house), but the movie surprised me by putting a little ore substance into the female victim, by making her life more interesting than usual, and it helps having an Oscar nominee like Ms. Hensen play the role. A fact that was not used to advertise the movie as much as it should have. Definitely a better played out Victim than I've seen before.

A decent plot and a great thriller. I recommend giving it a shot.

Sure, I might have seen films with comparable story lines, we all probably have, but it still has it's own originality and a great performance absolutely nailed by Idris Elba.

All that Hollywood does is steal and rip off. Even (especially) our favourite wonder child Taranatino does it all the time. It's the way this is done that can make a film stand out. This, combined with plenty of atmosphere and solid performances all round make an entertaining and sometimes pretty tense watch.

I liked it, but must admit I'm a big fan of Elba's work so I am slightly biased. Just for his performance alone this is well worth a watch 7/10

The story portrayed in this film is pretty much spelled out in the trailer. Crazy escaped convict terrorizes a woman and her kids. That's pretty much it, but there is a nasty little twist in the story that I did not see coming (although I did have a feeling). You know…. When you ask yourself "surely it isn't this" and come to find out …. Oh yes, it is. I have to give Colin (Indris Elba) a lot of credit for playing it super cool to make his way into the house. Although you knew he was the "bad" guy who is eventually going to snap, you kind of find yourself liking him for a little while (with his fine self). Terri (Taraji P. Henson) was a relatively smart women who made some serious errors at the beginning of the film, but had I not known in advance what was going to happen, I probably would not have thought that she did anything wrong. She was just trying to be nice and do the right thing. Meg (Leslie Bibb) is Terri's best friend and she drove home the point that no one knows you better than your best friend. At first I thought that she was going to be a little ditzy, but she proved me wrong. Jeffrey (Henry Simmons) is Terri's husband who does not seemed to be vested in the relationship. This is very apparent right from the beginning. I went to the 2nd showing on the day the film was released and I have to say that the theater was pretty well populated. The one thing that I have to say about seeing a film with a diverse crowd is that folks talk (out loud) to the people on the screen (myself included). Toward the end of the film I heard myself saying "how does she think that's going to work" and then immediately after that I said "why does he think that worked"…... you'll see what I mean when you go to see it. Other than that, there are three reasons why I liked this film…., the great lead characters, the consistent flow of the film and finally the whole story was told in around 90 minutes. This is director Sam Miller's first attempt at a widely distributed feature film and I think that he did a pretty good job. I would recommend it to a friend.

Even after having watched the trailer you'll be in for lots of surprises. There were a few things I didn't see coming, subtle twists and turns which caught me off guard. Idris and Taraji have great chemistry on screen, you want to watch them and you don't get bored watching them.

I love to see films with black people in them, which have nothing to do with race or where race isn't even mentioned once. You literally could have placed any one from any ethnic background in any of those characters and it would have worked.

This movie re-enforced to me that Taraji and Idris are really good actors, I got my money's worth. I went to see the movie at the Grove where there are lots of tourists and people from all over the country, who have normal reactions to what they see on the screen. The audience as a whole cared a lot about Taraji's character, they cheered for her when she was winning and they had natural human responses that were real, and so at the end of the day, that says to me all the people involved in making this movie did their job. Seeing the film there got me avoiding the jaded Hollywood movie "experts" on cinema with their snobby intellectual bully b.s, I was with regular people at a movie theater, the reason actors make movies to begin with, the people who are funding our industry with their hard earned dollars, not movie critics who go the movies for intellectual stimulation instead of reading a freaking book. You're gonna like Taraji's bff, she has a great moment with Idris that has everyone who has a best friend going "YOU TELL IT."

I personally love to go see a movie and turn off my brain and enjoy myself and you get to do this with this movie, it kept my attention from beginning to end. Go see it, worth your money!

I just saw the movie and I had a good time watching it.It's a decent thriller about an escaped psychotic convict played by Idris Elba. He did a good job with his role. The other main character is a woman (Terry) played by Taraji P. Henson that tries to help a man out. The story is entertaining enough to watch without getting bored. There are enough twists in the plot not to lose your interest in the movie. I don't get why so much people dislike this movie because let's be honest there are way much worse thrillers then this one. Okay it's not the greatest thriller ever but it's certainly watchable without being annoyed. Well at least to me it was.

This movie had no substance, it was one of the worst I have to say I've seen so for in 2014. The storyline had a whole lot of holes, I can't make sense out of nonsense. Poorly done, love Taraji though so I rated solely on her. I have to give credit though for trying to put together a thriller, but all of these are always the same ending, only watched because the wife wanted to, without her this movie would have never gotten my time at all. If this is your kind of thriller, don't let my comment stop you from enjoying it. Those were just my thoughts on it. Idris alba, and Taraji Henson , love them great actors wasted energy however for them.

While this wasn't anything special, it definitely wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. The leads do an excellent job in their respective roles, which is coupled nicely with solid writing. The first act is nothing to write home about, and the movie felt like it was dragging towards the end, it was still relatively entertaining. All in all, a pretty standard cat/and-mouse tale, decent to throw on for movie night.

Lots of movies identical to this. husband goes away for a few days, leaves wife and kids at home. convict escapes from jail, kidnap and house invasion.

run of the mill thriller, good acting and good story. not bad, but nothing special.

i gave it 6 rather than 5 because of idris elba's portrayal of a bad guy was very good

Idris Elba. Arguably one of the coolest actors around right now. He can pretty much carry any part given to him. Yes, I'm a fan. And, as I expected of him, he's damn good here too. Unfortunately, one great actor does not make up for a film which is short on originality.

Elba plays 'Colin.' A psychopath. Okay, so that's a generalisation. The early part of the film touches on his exact condition. However, he kills people, so 'psychopath' will work for me. And, he plays it pretty well, flitting between his natural charm and dangerous ability to bludgeon someone to death if he so feels inclined.

But, luckily for Joe Public, he's been caught and imprisoned. Of course the film would be a lot less dull if he didn't escape pretty quickly and resume his terrorising. So, he does this and seeks refuge in a woman's home, pretending that his car has broken down. Of course she succumbs to his charm and lets him in, but, again, things never stay that way for long. What follows is a typical 'cat and mouse' kind of game with her doing her best to survive in her own home. I should just point out that she can't just escape at the earliest opportunity, as she has children.

I have no problem with the plot. Yes, it could probably be a little more original, but I could still live with that. Or I could if it wasn't for the fact that it uses the same cliché over and over again (normally found in 'slasher' films). Three times (yes, I counted) in the space of about ten minutes does she totally get the drop on Elba and whack him with a fire extinguisher/lamp-thing/knife, only to run off instead of finishing him off. I know this kind of movie-gripe has been going on for years and, yes, I know if she killed him at the earliest opportunity it would be a pretty short film, but still... that lack of realism/originality just got to me after a while. Elba isn't supposed to be a monster or superhuman, yet he gets up from every blow and just chases after her – again, without killing her either due to ending the film early.

Ultimately, you can't fault the performances, both Elba and his victim do all they can with what's been given to them. It's just a shame the 'vehicle' they're in is a little bit on the stale side. I guess if you're not into slasher films you may not notice it quite so much, but, for me, it just bugged me to the point where I found it hard to carry on watching.

For die-hard Elba fans or casual viewers of the 'stalker/thriller' genre only.

As a little boy growing up in a suburban home, my parents always reminded me about the dangers of strangers and letting them into your home. When I asked if I should let them in if their hurt, I was still told no as I would have no idea if the individual in question was lying about calling for help. For a kid of seven, this seemed very harsh as I thought we were supposed to help others whenever they needed us. The goody-two-shoes probably would have asked first before letting them in to use a phone. As luck would have it, door to door folks never graced our porch before we moved onto a vineyard. Now that I'm a twenty-something, I thank my parents for that lesson.

I understand now about letting strangers because appearances can be deceiving. It's not that I tell everyone from girl scouts to Mormons to scram, but you need to consider you're the outcome before you act. Another instance occurred when I was in college when I heard my dorm door knock when a shady looking student claimed to have left their phone at home and need to use mine for a second. He sounded legitimate, but he looked like a drug user, given his filthy clothes and his constant scratching to the face. Another lesson on strangers is given in No Good Deed.

Convicted felon Colin Evans (played by Idris Elba) makes his case for a release after serving five years for manslaughter, but the board denies him his freedom. His ride back is cut short when he kills the lone guard and driver (you'd think these guys would have more guards) and escapes. He finds his girlfriend Alexis and tries to talk her into coming with him, only to find that she's been unfaithful. This results in the film's first kill.

Outside of Atlanta, young mother Terri Granger (played by Taraji P. Henson) is watching her daughter Ryan and baby Sam alone as her husband has gone for a weekend vacation. Her best friend Meg suggests a girl's night during the impending thunderstorm (code for obvious symbolism). The rain comes along with Colin at the front door, claiming the he just needs a phone after crashing a truck. The all too trusting Terri lets the shadowy-man in to dry up and make chitchat. What starts as a friendly conversation becomes a deadly game of cat and mouse.

What pains me about No Good Deed is that there is nothing original. No new characters, no new setting, no new serial killer, and no new weapons. There's nothing in the story that surprises us. There's nothing about Colin that separates him from cardboard cutout killers. There's nothing about Terri that makes her any stronger then any other stock scared woman character. The conversations the characters have are nothing of interest unless wealthy suburban problems excite you. The chases through darkness are a dime a dozen compared to the hundreds of other burglar in the house scenario. Even the ending doesn't seem to imply any change within these characters.

No Good Deed may be bad (and I mean awful), but carries the worse distinction of being boring. Even a running time of eighty-two minutes seems too long here. Watching the grandfather clock in my parents home would have been more exciting then this. Watching this movie is like looking at a board game you've played a dozen times before, yet you play anyway because there's at least one more persons whose not familiar. Stupid does not even begin to describe the actions that happen and once the climax is ready to go, I just don't care any more.

I'll give this two open doors out of ten. I really like Idris Elba and is angers me that his acting profession was a waste of thought. I hope that director Sam Miller is next in line for some guillotine that can put his film career out of misery.

This was a very good movie. I don't understand what most of the reviewers are talking about. It has everything that ALL of these kinds of movies have with a little more action and strength from the main female character. In fact, in most movies where you are sitting at home wishing the victim would do certain things, she does them all. There is a lot of good acting by the cast as well. Idris is always a great actor and he does not disappoint here. Most thrillers are predictable; there's a bad guy and a good guy and they duke it out to see who wins, so those complaining about there here must not watch a lot of movies. It was good and I would recommend it.

Look here is the skinny on this flick. It is so predictable I found myself saying out loud (but quietly) what was going to happen next. I mean really people can't these Hollywood money men find some better quality movies to get behind to finance. Let's not forget this movie as all the rest are a business. The business of INVESTING cash to produce a movie with the hopes you will spend your entertainment dollars seeing it so it makes them millions in profit. Don't let them make money on this one or we will never get them to stop producing trash and fooling us into thinking it's worth the price of a ticket and $15.00 popcorn. Plot plot plot help me find something entertaining about this movie that we don't know is going to happen before it happens. The acting is average and if an academy award ever makes it to this movie it will be because somebody paid somebody! Don't waste your money on this film you will be disappointed. Go see Denzel instead!!!! :-)

Saw No Good Deed starring Taraji P. Henson and Idris Elba at AMC Theatres last night! "Terri" played by Henson is a devoted house wife and mother of two who resides in Atlanta, Georgia and appears to be unhappy in her marriage. "Terri's" husband played by Henry Simmons goes on a getaway vacation to celebrate his father's birthday leaving his own family behind, but promises "Terri" he'll take some vacation time with her after he returns.

"Colin," who is played by Elba shows up at "Terri's" door acting as a charming man asking to use her telephone after wrecking a stolen car, but is really an escaped dangerous convict seeking revenge in this twisted thriller. "Terri" lets him use the phone and gets a little too friendly and personal with him, but soon learns that "no good deed goes unpunished." She finds herself fighting for survival when "Colin" invades her home, kidnaps her, and terrorizes her family. Crazy movie! Suspenseful, thrilling, edge of your seat kind of film! My cinema score is 8.5/10! Go see it! ‪#‎maverickradio‬™

My Rating : 7/10

Found this thanks to Malcolm Gladwell's 'Revisionist History' podcast and him discussing the plot of the movie and the possible actions by the main characters. I watched it and found it to be thought-provoking having listened to the podcast which goes much more in-depth and explores various philosophical schools of thought, rational vs ethical for example.

'No Good Deed' is fast-paced, engaging and right out of a thriller novel. Highly recommended.

The writer and director brilliantly succeeded in accomplishing 2 things: 1) See a women character whose IQ is probably negative 2) See a brainless lawyer

What kind of mother with 2 kids and whose husband is out of town invites a stranger to house? Also, instead of hitting the murderer just once with items she should have just slapped him a couple of times and maybe that would have killed him or put him unconscious!

Not worth watching unless you would like to watch a stupid mother - probably the one you will find on planet earth

Would give the movie a D