No Good Deed Movie Poster Image

No Good Deed

age 16+
(i)

 

Women, children in peril in truly terrible thriller.
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  • Review Date: September 12, 2014
  • Rated: R
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Release Year: 2014
  • Running Time: 84 minutes

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What parents need to know

Positive messages

The main message here is try to be a little bit smarter when a movie serial killer tries to play all the same old dumb tricks on you. Women and children are in peril throughout the movie. The killer shoots his male victims but bashes the female ones with blunt objects.

Positive role models

Terri is the only one who's somewhat sympathetic, but even she makes some rookie mistakes. The rest of the characters are either evil or dumb. Both female and African-American characters are depicted in a way that could be seen as offensive.

Violence

Pervasive threat of violence against women, as well as some actual violent incidents. A young girl and a baby are in danger. The killer shoots and kills two (male) guards and a male cop. He kills a woman by breaking her neck and smashing her head (off screen) with a telephone. He kills another woman by smashing her in the face with a shovel. A woman bashes the killer over the head with a fire extinguisher and a lamp and also stabs him with a knife, but he's not stopped until she shoots him several times in the chest. Bloody wounds are shown. There's also a car crash on a rain-slicked street.

Sex

One supporting character seems to be thinking about sex all the time. She's shown in a sexy jogging outfit and notices a shirtless worker nearby. She flirts with another man and talks about her carefree attitude toward sex. Another woman is shown in a revealing, low-cut dress. The killer forces the main character to change clothes; she removes her top, but nothing sensitive is shown -- it's all kept below the frame. The killer takes a shower to remove fire extinguisher chemicals from his face. He forces the woman (clothed) into the shower with him. He's naked, but nothing is shown. A secondary character is shown to be having an extramarital affair.

Language

Language isn't very frequent but includes two uses of "f--k" and several uses of "s--t" or "bulls--t," plus one use of "a--hole."

Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

Characters casually drink beer and wine. One character gulps down a glass of wine, but nothing comes of it; he doesn't seem drunk, and he doesn't drink much more afterward. A secondary character smokes one cigarette.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that No Good Deed is a thriller about women and children being stalked and terrorized by a male killer. There's a pervasive sense of terror, and men are shot with guns, while women are bashed with blunt objects. One woman bashes and stabs the killer several times, but it has no effect. Wounds are shown, but the blood isn't excessive. Dead bodies are also shown. Language is infrequent but includes "f--k" and "s--t." Characters undress, but nothing sensitive is shown; it's all kept below the frame. Characters also dress in sexy outfits, and one talks excessively about sex. Characters drink wine and beer socially, and in one scene, a character gulps his glass of wine. A character smokes a cigarette. The movie's treatment of female characters is potentially offensive, as is its negative depiction of African-American characters.

What's the story?

Colin Evans (Idris Elba) has served five years for manslaughter and is now up for parole, though many citizens are convinced that he was responsible for at least five cold-blooded murders. Sent back for another stretch, he escapes and tracks down an old girlfriend (Kate del Castillo) for some unfinished business. Driving though a huge rainstorm, Colin crashes into a tree and takes refuge in the home of Terri (Taraji P. Henson), whose husband has just left on a trip. At first, Colin seems charming, and Terri's friend Meg (Leslie Bibb) seems to like him, but then his behavior starts to grow more erratic, and Terri begins to fear for her and her children's safety. Her only hope is to wait for the cunning Colin to make a mistake.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

Henson is usually the best thing in whatever project she's working on, and NO GOOD DEED is no exception ... though the rest of the movie is garbage. To start, it's a stupid thriller that depends on all of its characters being idiots. Terri is supposed to be a criminal prosecutor who specializes in cases of violence against women, yet she makes one rookie mistake after another.

When the characters can't rely on stupidity to move the plot forward, a rash of dumb coincidences and cliches gets the job done. Elba plays an indestructible killer who keeps going after many bashes on the head and stabs in the stomach, and poor Bibb gets killed after talking too much about sex. Then there's the fact that the film's worst violence is directed at women. Not to mention that, from the point of view of a white director, it is very poor representation of African-Americans. The first two words of the title effectively sum up this terrible movie.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about No Good Deed's violence. How is it shown? Is it thrilling, scary, or brutal? What's the difference?

  • How is the violence toward men and the violence toward women different in this movie? What message does that send?

  • How did you feel about seeing young children in peril?

  • What is the fate of the character who seems to be the most sexually promiscuous? Is there a connection between her behavior and her fate?

  • How are African-American characters treated in this movie? Positively? Negatively?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:September 12, 2014
DVD release date:January 6, 2015
Cast:Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson, Leslie Bibb
Director:Sam Miller
Studios:Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Releasing
Genre:Thriller
Run time:84 minutes
MPAA rating:R
MPAA explanation:sequences of violence, menace, terror, and for language

This review of No Good Deed was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Teen, 13 years old Written by2jayz September 21, 2014
age 13+

Decent thriller

This movie has several jumpy parts and is a good depiction of menace. Although there is few deaths shown, they are very disturbing. A woman is bashed with a shovel and a woman's neck is snapped and she is beaten. There are also violent references. There are several swear words including the f-word and brief sexual situations.
What other families should know
Too much violence
Too much swearing
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Parent of a 13 and 14 year old Written byMrsKeys2u October 9, 2014
age 13+

Great acting!

I'm reading some of these reviews and they seem a bit ridiculous (even biased). It's your basic suspense movie. There's isn't any sex/nudity (unless you count a topless Idris Elba. Although he does take a shower, you still only see his chest and back). There is some cursing, but no more than most movies out today (and way less than your kids hear in school everyday). There is quite a bit of violence, but everyone who goes to see this movie should already know that.... Overall for me, this movie was everything I expected it to be and I wouldn't mind my kids watching it. I'm taking my daughter next weekend.
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Kid, 12 years old September 13, 2014
age 14+

Very good.

My Mom and I saw this movie and we love it! Language: two uses of the f word, two uses of the Gd word and a couple that's not bad at all. Violence: for thirteen and up. S: there is non, just references to it and non of it is shown, nor nudity Great movie, just sit with your kid. If you love the Call or Red Eye etc. You'll love this.
What other families should know
Too much violence
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