As Good as Dead (2010)

Seeking revenge for the murder of their religious leader, fundamental loyalists kidnap and torture the man they believe responsible, but the ensuing clash of right vs. left ideologies ... See full summary »

Director:

Jonathan Mossek

Writers:

Erez Mossek (screenplay), Eve Pomerance (screenplay)

Stars:

Andie MacDowell, Cary Elwes, Frank Whaley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Andie MacDowell	...	Helen Kalahan
Cary Elwes	...	Ethan Belfrage
Frank Whaley	...	Aaron
Matt Dallas	...	Jake
Nicole Ansari-Cox	...	Kate Belfrage (as Nicole Ansari)
Brian Cox	...	Reverend Kalahan
Clark Middleton	...	Seth
Emma Kantor	...	Sarah
Juliette Bennett	...	Erica
Nasry Malak	...	Moe
Crispian Belfrage	...	Brian Shepherd
Claudine Oriol	...	Marsha
J.W. Cortes	...	Cop
Laurence Covington	...	Cop #2
Mario D'Leon	...	Titus

Storyline

Seeking revenge for the murder of their religious leader, fundamental loyalists kidnap and torture the man they believe responsible, but the ensuing clash of right vs. left ideologies quickly reveals that they may have the wrong man, which puts them on a path toward a shocking twist.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | torture | revenge | switchblade | cruelty | 

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Taglines:

Can you escape your past?

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and some drug content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 October 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Casi muerto

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$1,494 (USA) (8 October 2010)

Gross:

$1,494 (USA) (8 October 2010)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eclectic Pictures, As Good As Dead, First Line Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Eye For An I"
Written by Chase Pierson & Adam Widoff
Performed by Mechanical Bull

User Reviews

read between the lines...

I recommend this film highly, not sure why all the hate. There are good performances and it touches on something which exists in our society today, whether people choose to see the reality or not.

Cary Elwes is a photojournalist who lives in NYC and is on the verge of being evicted. He lives with a daughter and is estranged from his wife. The film starts as he drops his daughter off to be with her mother. He has a golden retriever named "Mao".

We see flashbacks of an earlier pivotal incident which involves Brian Cox (always excellent, look for him in "Manhunter" and "The Minus Man" with Mercedes Ruehl and Owen Wilson as a serial killer).

Cox is an evangelical preacher, preaching hate, and that change in America can start with "just one match" and other such comments, along the lines of David Duke. His wife is Andie McDowell, and she has a son who we now see in NYC is 18 years old. He and his mother survived the attack but "an eye for eye" dictates they must now avenge the violence, and death of their religious leader.

I will not divulge the outcome but the theme here is interesting. Frank Whaley also belongs to this religious group and in NYC he tells Elwes "I was saved in prison my leader, he was a good man". He is a zealot, but resents anyone in New York who isn't "like him". He berates the local the news stand owner, "this city is "filled with foreigners" he remarks ignorantly.

McDowell is surprisingly good here, a southern woman with values about to be toppled, she has survived the horror of third degree burns over most of her body.

The director and writer have ventured into territory which is real here. Preaching hatred and violence leads to nothing, but death. Whether you are in New York City or Alabama.9/10.