NO GOOD DEED

US, 2014, 84 minutes, Colour.
Idris Elba, Taraji P.Henson, Leslie Bibb, Kate Dell Castillo, Henry Simmons.
Directed by Sam Miller.

A no good central character, a convicted criminal, assaulting women and anybody who disagrees with him, making a plea to the parole board for release because of his good behaviour but going in search of his girlfriend and discovering that she has taken up with a businessman.

He is played by Idris Elba, quite a way from his portrayal of Nelson Mandela and even of his television persona, Luther.

While it seems that he has a car crash and intrudes into a family house, being welcomed by the mother, Taraji P.Henson, it soon emerges that he has no good intentions as he murders her friend.

He then abducts and her baby, driving to a house, that of his ex-girlfriend – where it is discovered that the man with whom she is in a relationship is Taraji P.Henson’s husband.

The story is rather ugly, seeming to present random violence, but everything coming together in the end.

1. A film about domestic violence? An unpleasant story? And redeemable central character?

2. Prison, court, the road, shopping mauls, homes, the highway? The musical score?

3. The title? With reference to Colin?

4. The voice-over, describing Collins career, the violence towards the women, his being charged with manslaughter, the parole hearing, his presentation of himself, charming, teaching fellow prisoners, the appeal to the parole board, the member of the parole board telling the truth about him, describing him as narcissistic, violet Alice bursts when thwarted, the refusal of parole? Travelling in the van with the guards, the sympathetic guard, the pretence of the bleeding nose, overcoming the guard, shooting them both despite his reassurance?

5. His going into the town, seeing Alexis with the man, his suspicions, following her home, the intrusion, demanding that she say she loved him, her acquiescence, his reading the note from the lover, his attack on her, the murder?

6. Driving in the car? The crash? Walking, coming to the house – seemingly at random but revealed at the end that this was deliberate?

7. Terry, her children, her relationship with her husband, his saying he was going to see his father, her being agreeable? With the children?

8. Colin arriving at the door, his explanations, the rain, allegedly phoning the towing truck company, terry inviting him in, the discussions, his story about his ex-girlfriend, a story about being held being a prosecutor, domestic violence, the comments about perpetrators and their stupidity, having met her husband?
The not telling the complete truth, offering: hospitality, the new shirt, his being able to turn off the car alarm?

9. Megan, friendship, jogging, calling in, the best friends, confiding in each other? Her return, floating with Colin? Asking him questions, her being a real estate agent, going to the garage for a smoke, challenging him, his brutal attack on her?

10. Terry, becoming more wary, Colin playing with the daughter, disbelief, her physically attacking him, the extinguisher, his dominating her? The demand
that they should go, driving, the signal with the lights, the policeman stopping, the nervousness, the interrogation, Colin shooting the policeman?

11. Going to the house, the discovery of the body, terry discovering the note, the discovery of her husband’s affair, why Colin was in the house? Tied up, the phone calls, hearing her husband on the phone, the fights with Colin, pretending to lower the children with sheets, hiding them, the physical to and fro? The gun, shooting him?

12. The aftermath, her husband apologising, her hitting him, going back with her children, moving house?

13. The value of this kind of film – or not, dramatising such violence against women, violent men, moral issues?