No good deed goes unpunished in Bad Samaritan, a thriller starring David Tennant, that features some twists and turns and enough suspense to keep things moving but its overly long final act takes some of the steam out of an otherwise entertaining film.
Robert Sheehan of Misfits fame stars as Sean an avid photographer who works as a valet to make ends meet but triples as a petty thief who robs people he parks cars for as they dine. As it happens, Sean is a modern-day Robin Hood and only steals from people who he feels deserve it. A crook with a heart of gold, he works with his partner Daniel to loot houses of jewelry, credit cards and other items that they can fence for cash.
Their well-oiled plan hits a snag when they decide to rob the wrong dude. That unfortunate mark, for them, happens to be Tennant’s Cale Erendriech. Sean finds more than he bargained for when he takes Cale’s Maseratti for a spin and heads to his home to see what he can steal. Things get sticky for Sean when he stumbles across a woman chained to a chair in one of Cale’s upstairs rooms. I suppose even psychotic kidnappers need a night out on the town but before Sean can save the battered woman Cale ends his night early and asks for his car. This begins a slow but steep downward spiral for Sean who must decide whether to save the woman or be exposed as a thief.
Cale is a sadistic piece of work and Tennant plays bad really well. His Cale often boasts a look that mixes annoyance with a dash of glee and takes particular delight tormenting Sean and those around him. With Sean’s conscience getting the better of him (see, he does have a heart of gold) he appeals to law enforcement for help but his murky past and Cale’s uncanny ability to cover his tracks only complicates things further.
Bad Samaritan has a few genuine scares and some solid performances from the two leads. It suffers from a third act that’s a tad long and could have benefited from an extra level of suspense but overall, it’s a satisfying experience.
