As Good as Dead

This film keeps you guessing from the start. It never dwells too long on any point, so it never gets dull or tedious.

In general terms, it's a murder mystery in reverse that's a combination of horror and psycho-thriller.

In terms of acting and direction, nothing seems artificial or forced as tends to be the case whenever a little girl and a dog are involved. The director does an excellent job of blending the cute, mass appeal elements with the rest of the film so nothing becomes overly cutesy or fake.

Possibly the best part is that all the twists, even those that don't seem to make sense, end up making sense, including the title. It's a rare film that would work very well as a book.

While the general premise, in other words, the motivating factors of the antagonists, is quite good in that it's atypical, interesting, and makes a lot of sense as the motivating factor for these people to make the protagonist's life a living hell for most of the running time of this film, it was thrown into a ridiculously overstaged package.

Firstly, the guy they're after just HAPPENS to be one of two of the last holdouts preventing the demolition of a building in the way of a big real estate venture. And why is he in this position unlike virtually every single other apartment dweller in New York? So the bad guys can make as much noise and be as sloppy as they want while they interrogate the guy in his apartment without having to fear any intervention by police or neighbours. Regardless, if they wanted to interrogate him and not kill him outright, to avoid getting caught, the only sensible option would be to isolate him on his own, probably at night, throw him into a van, and drag him out into the country or the woods.

However, these criminals clearly WANT to get caught since they don't even wear gloves. One of them reveal's he's an ex-con who REALLY doesn't want to go back to prison, so to me, right off the bat this movie becomes impossible to take seriously. In addition to this, they happen to be very LUCKY and strangely brazen as they break into this guy's apartment a mere 30 seconds after the police visit him, and it happens to be the one time his door isn't locked for fear of his landlord's goons, and only because his dog distracted him. Another example of how lucky they are, is when the mother and daughter show up and the daughter runs away with one of the bad guys following her. She runs into a woman and doesn't ask for help or say what's going on, and simply waits for the bad guy to catch up, who pretends to be her father and calmly walk her back into the building. This really made no sense at all.

Also, The way the protagonist escapes being bound by suddenly producing a pocket knife that seemed to come out of nowhere and breaking free at the perfect time seemed so ordained to happen as yet another tacked on plot device. I won't give away who comes out on top at the end, but it's important to note that burning bodies doesn't wash away their identity, as their teeth would almost always be able to match their dental records, so to be effective you would have to individually pull out the teeth from the dead bodies.

this film would be a total waste of time altogether if it wasn't for the presence of Frank Whaley who's acting is simply amazing, and I'm surprised he's not more widely recognized because as a character actor he's right up there. Andie Macdowell as the mother on the other hand basically came across as a lame phony southern caricature, which seemed false and irritating. Altogether, It's an OK film for one time viewing, as you certainly don't get bored, but if you're a thinking person you might want to give this one a miss, because the staginess, and the characters stupid actions which I didn't fully get into, will irritate you.

Jonathan Mossek's direction in 'As Good as Dead' is a testament to his skill at crafting tension and psychological depth. In addition to exemplary casting and writing, Mossek orchestrates an ensemble led by the amazing talents of Andie MacDowell and Brian Cox. The film unfolds as a murder mystery in reverse, blending elements of horror and psycho-thriller seamlessly. Frank Whaley's portrayal as a truly menacing character adds a chilling layer, showcasing his versatility in a role unlike any I've seen him in before.

Mossek's direction not only delivers good performances but also touches on issues relevant to our society presently, making the film quite thought-provoking, gripping, and tense. As the plot unfolds, the movie keeps you guessing till the end. It blurs the lines of who the true protagonists are, adding an intriguing twist to the genre. Overall, Mossek's direction elevates 'As Good as Dead' into a compelling narrative that lingers in the mind long after the credits roll. The reverse narrative structure in 'As Good as Dead' adds an intriguing layer to the viewer's experience. By starting with the resolution and then working its way back to the beginning, it creates a sense of anticipation and curiosity, keeping the audience engaged and invested in unraveling the mystery. This unconventional storytelling technique allows the audience to piece together the puzzle alongside the characters, heightening the tension and making the film even more captivating.

It's nice to see Frank Whaley in this one. If you only know him from the Kevin Spacey movie (Swimming with Sharks), you might be in for a surprise. He is really versatile, a great actor. While Cary Elwes is the protagonist, Frank kinda steals the show. Not that Cary isn't "good" in this, it's just the Frank show.

I don't tend to write anything about the story or the plot, because I don't want to spoil anything and in this case here, writing a little bit about it, would spoil quite a bit about the movie. What I can and will say though is, that contrary to another reviewer here, I didn't like the opening scene. Not because of the actors, but it just didn't feel right. It's a scene, you have seen quite a few times done before and even Brian Cox, an amazing actor, can't help it. The scene just doesn't work for me. But of course, it's a pivotal scene to the movie.

In hindsight, there are many things that work quite nice and don't fall apart, if you know what the movie is all about. The problem is, you might kinda feel where this is going. Especially if you've seen a few movies, that deal with similar issues.

I'm upset at how this wasn't released in theatres. It's probably because it didn't have a big-name cast. I'm also daunted by the fact that it isn't known at all, judging by the IMDb ratings.

I found the film quite thought-provoking, gripping and tense. It was one the better thrillers I've seen in the recent years.

The cast was amazing, Frank Whaley played a good (anti) villain, which was unexpected for me, as he is doesn't look "villainy". For a straight to DVD film, the cinematography and the direction were high grade. I really loved the music in this the most, as it was very suspenseful and heart-pumping. I full on expected an indie/minimalist score, but it was the opposite: high octane Hollywood music that will keep your adrenaline rushing.

The film, if you didn't know, has a twist ending, but I'm sure many smart people will predict it. But I loved it, as it gave this film more depth and shock value.

If you want to watch a little thriller with suspense throughout, this will be a good one. I'm glad I found this film. It's a very underrated and a quite overlooked one.