No Good Deed (Rated C)
Cast: Idris Elba, Taraji P. Henson, Henry Simmons
Genre: Thriller
Dwight's Rating:
Ah! The Lifetime television movie -- infamous for a faithful dedication to a tried-and-true formula: either chronicling the struggles of a virtuous woman battling a life-threatening illness, or more commonly, sharing the tale of a heroine whose life is being threatened by a crazed rival, obsessed stalker, psychotic husband, or jealous ex-boyfriend.
With the exception of the life-threatening illness, there's a dash of all of the above and an overwhelming heaping of one in particular in the new film, "No Good Deed", which should serve as Valhalla for anyone who's ever wished to see the ultimate Lifetime movie on the big screen.
The extremely popular and well-regarded Idris Elba and Taraji P. Henson star in this thriller. Elba plays a downright despicable character. His Colin is an awful scoundrel, and he's about to make life very difficult for our heroine, Henson's downtrodden and neglected housewife Terri.
To say any more would be to give it all away. As is often the case with Lifetime movies, the plot is beyond predictable. What are supposed to be shocking twists can be seen from miles away. I personally had the whole thing figured out within the first 15 minutes.
What wasn't easily predicted though, was that this thriller would be far too sexy for its own good! So let's be honest for a moment. As mentioned, Elba and Henson are popular, and that is indeed primarily because they are extremely talented and accomplished actors. But the fact that they are also both exceptionally good-looking is also a major factor.
The film doesn't seem to hide from the fact that Terri probably would not have been so open to "good deeds" if Colin were slovenly. And it certainly isn't the first time a movie character was blind to danger, distracted by another character's looks. Terri is no different. Unfortunately, "No Good Deed" seems to want the audience to do the same.
At the screening I attended -- knowing full well that Colin is a heartless psychopath, and that Terri is in grave danger -- (female) audiences in the theater gasped and moaned when Elba takes off his shirt. And the film milks the sexual tension for all it's worth. However, it does seem to cross the line when a scene in which Terri has no idea whether she may be raped or not is still played for sexiness. There's a fixation here on titillation.
Then there's the overabundance of all the usual thriller movie tropes: the stormy night; the window glass shattered by a tree branch blown through a window in the storm; the over-sexed best friend. Also, one would expect a significant amount of violence in a film of this genre, but the blood and body count is remarkably high.
That said, and even with the predictability elements, we still manage to get a few high anxiety moments filled with tension.
Elba and Henson make the most of the paper-thin plot and deliver credible performances, even if we may question their characters' motivations and decisions.
Elba is likable enough that this turn as a really irredeemable person probably won't turn off his fans. And in true Lifetime television movie form, Henson makes a strong heroine, and audiences may often find themselves cheering out loud for her.
But for those of you who aren't massive fans of Elba and Henson, then it might be a safe bet to just wait about a year and a half, and watch "No Good Deed" at home when it finally airs on Lifetime.
o Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of " Morning Blend" on Guardian Radio. He is a television producer and writer, and an avid TV history and film buff. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on twitter @morningblend969.
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