“When
their lives are turned upside
down, a young American couple move
to London to make a new start and to
renovate a derelict house they have
inherited, little realising that an apparent
stroke of luck is about to leave them
fighting for their lives in the edge-of-
your-seat action thriller Good People...”
HAVING LOST HIS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE business in Chicago, USA, Tom
Reed (Golden Globe Winner and Academy Award-nominee James Franco: Home Front;
The Ice Man) is devastated when his wife Anna (Kate Hudson: The Killer
Inside Me; How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days) miscarries their much longed-for
child.
A devoted couple with a solid marriage, they decide to begin a new life in London,
England, where they rent a run-down property from where Tom, with the help of
his friend Mike Gallagher (Michael Jibson), can begin to renovate the large,
derelict and uninhabitable house he has inherited from his grandmother to turn
it into a family home.
“Exceptional.
Good People has an
amazing cast and
is strewn with fantastic
heart-in-the-mouth
moments that leave you
eager for more...”
Things
are not going well financially as their only regular income is Kate's salary
as a teacher, supplemented by renting out the basement of their two-floor apartment
to the reclusive Ben Tuttrie (Francis Magee). The odd jobs Tom and Mike have
been working at have begun to dry up.
Desperate to start a family, Kate has no idea that the house is a money pit,
riddled with dry rot, and that Tom has sunk all their money into it. Unbeknown
to her, he has not been able to pay the rent and has been served with an eviction
notice.
Anna and Tom are up to their eyes in debt. Things are looking bleak and the
promise Tom made to Anna of a family house where they can raise children seems
even further away. Anna's only joy is spending time with her friend Sarah (Anna
Friel: Limitless), whose baby son Julian (Orlando and Bertram Burns-Tucker)
is their Godson.
Tom is appalled to find that their tenant has died; and happens upon a hidden
bag containing close to a quarter of a million pounds in cash. He and Anna immediately
call the Police but are tempted by the cash as it seems to be the answer to
their prayers — little realising it will come at a terrible price.
Detective Inspector John Haiden (Tom Wilkinson: Batman Begins; The Grand
Budapest Hotel) arrives while Anna and Tom have yet to decide what they
are going to do and he begins to suspect there is something they are hiding.
Matters come to a head when they start to use the money.
Big mistake. Tuttrie was a gangster who has double-crossed his partners in crime,
the vengeful Jack (Sam Spruell) and his brother Bobby Witkowski (Michael Fox),
whom he murdered. Jack is out to get him but in a further twist, the gang themselves
are also being hunted by ruthless drugs baron Khan (Omar Sy: X-Men: Days
Of Future Past), from whom they stole both the money and a case of herion.
Anna and Tom are good people who have no way out of a serious problem. They
have put their lives in danger by taking the money and using it to help clear
their spiralling debts. With nowhere to run, they will never feel safe again.
Superintendent Ray Martin (Oliver Dimsdale) has already advised DI Haiden to
stay off the case because he has a personal reason for wanting to put Jack Witkowski
behind bars. With the knowledge that not all policemen are straight and that
nothing will stop either Witkowski or Khan, Anna and Tom have no choice but
to come out fighting…
It has been done before, but this story of two good people who have been backed
into a corner and who take a reckless gamble to end their difficulties is exceptional.
Good People has an amazing cast and is strewn with fantastic heart-in-the-mouth
moments that leave you eager for more. And more there is, although sometimes
it is difficult to watch as there is some gore.
Good People also features: Diana Hardcastle as Marie Haiden; Thomas Arnold
as Duncan; Waj Ali as The Bailiff; Diarmaid Murtagh as Marshall; and Maarten
Dannenberg as Andre.
Music is by Neil Davidge; Director of Photography is Jørgen Johansson, DFF;
Screenplay is by Kelly Masterson, Based on the novel Good People by Marcus
Sakey; Produced by: Benjamin Forkner, Eric Kranzler, Tobey Maguire, Thomas Gammeltoft,
Matt O'Toole and Mark Gill; Directed by Henrik Ruben Genz.
*
Tense
action thriller Good People is released in the UK on DVD and Blu-ray
by Lionsgate on 5 October 2015. Certificate: 15 | RRP: DVD £15.99; BD £19.99.
Special Features: Good People Featurette.
"…exceptional… Good People has an amazing cast and is strewn with fantastic
heart-in-the-mouth moments that leave you eager for more" —Maggie
Woods, MotorBar
“When
their lives are turned upside