As Good as Dead (2010 film)

As Good as Dead is a 2010 American crime thriller film directed by Jonathan Mossek and starring Andie MacDowell, Cary Elwes, Frank Whaley and Matt Dallas.[1] It is Mossek's directorial debut.[2]

As Good as Dead
Film poster
Directed byJonathan Mossek
Written byErez Mossek
Eve Pomerance
Produced byEdward Bass
Jordan Gertner
Eve Pomerance
Starring
CinematographyFrank Barrera
Edited byJulie Carr
Lee Percy
Music byGreg Arnold
Distributed byFirst Look Studios
Release date
  • April 14, 2010 (2010-04-14) (Beverly Hills)
Running time
100 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

The film premiered at the 2010 Beverly Hills Film Festival.[3]

Plot

Ethan Belfrage (Cary Elwes) is a photojournalist who is separated from his wife. One afternoon he is confronted by two men, Aaron (Frank Whaley) and Jake (Matt Dallas), who proceed to attack and kidnap him. They lock Ethan up and accuse him of being responsible for the death of their cult leader and pastor, who is the father of a third attacker, Helen Kalahan (Andie MacDowell). Helen and Aaron claim that Ethan is one of the three assailants who killed the cult leader. When Ethan tries to contact his neighbor Sarah (Emma Kantor) for help, they then kidnap her as well. Aaron, who has a neo-Nazi tattoo on his neck, hog-ties Sarah and begins questioning her. He asks if she and Ethan are in a relationship but she denies it.

The three attackers begin arguing and Helen angers Aaron by suggesting that he has psychological problems so he kills Sarah by injecting her with drugs. Aaron and Helen continue to torture Ethan until he confesses to murdering the pastor. They then make him write down the details of the pastor's murder but he refuses to cooperate, angering his attackers, who threaten to burn him alive. Ethan tries to delay them by telling them he has information containing details of the murder locked away. Aaron says that if Ethan can't find the information they will kill his daughter.

Based on the proof that was locked away, Helen realizes that Ethan is not responsible for the pastor's death and tells Aaron he must be set free. Furious at the idea of freeing Ethan, Aaron kidnaps Ethan's wife and daughter, holding them hostage. Jake intervenes to stop Aaron from killing the young girl and as such Aaron accidentally shoots him. Ethan is able to untie himself using a knife Helen had given him and kills both Aaron and Helen with Aaron's gun. The film ends with Ethan and his family free from the assailants with the house burning up in flames, and it is revealed that Ethan was responsible for the murder of the pastor after all.

Cast

Reception

Jesse Cataldo of Slant Magazine gave the film one and a half stars.[4][5]

References
  1. Genzlinger, Neil (7 October 2010). "Visiting New York, Seeking Vengeance". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  2. DeFore, John (14 October 2010). "As Good as Dead -- Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  3. "'Good' to kick off Beverly Hills fest". 30 March 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. Cataldo, Jesse (3 October 2010). "As Good As Dead". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  5. "As Good as Dead". Rotten Tomatoes.
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