Good People

In Danish director Henrik Ruben Genz's modern noir, a couple falls afoul of some nasty thugs. James Franco and Kate Hudson star as Tom and Anna Wright, financially strapped Americans who emigrate to England after Tom inherits a house. Unfortunately, the place is pretty much a shambles, so they rent a rundown row home while Tom is busy renovating, and to make ends meet they take in a boarder. The plot kicks in when the tenant overdoses, leaving behind a stash of money that the Wrights hope to keep for themselves. Unfortunately, however, the loot is from a robbery, and before long an exceptionally vicious gangster shows up looking for it, as does the French drug-dealer from whom it was stolen, and a police inspector with a personal reason for wanting to bring the crooks to justice. Eventually, all of the main characters—as well as quite a few peripheral ones—will assemble to face off against one another in a protracted battle featuring a variety of weapons: not only firearms, but also knives, clubs, and tools, including the almost obligatory nail gun. But even though Genz choreographs the action cleanly, Good People is a mostly sedate and familiar genre film. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (3 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a small extras package for an unremarkable film.] (F. Swietek)