‘No Good Deed’ Overview – Lisa Kudrow and Ray Romano Make a Bidding Conflict Chaotically Pleasing in Netflix Darkish Comedy

Ensemble tasks have gotten uncommon these days — and that is setting apart a number of Marvel titles with superhero crossovers or Knives Out‘s star-studded mysteries. What we’re actually speaking about are Garry Marshall-like productions, comedies that use a selected vacation or theme as a backdrop for a gaggle of individuals on parallel journeys to cross paths. Though a few of these movies have been extra profitable than others, it is attention-grabbing to see a number of storylines going down with an invisible string tying them collectively. It is one thing that Liz Feldman, the creator of Dead to Me, has managed to do in her latest series for Netflix, No Good Deed. Utilizing Los Angeles actual property as her supply of inspiration, Feldman has crafted a darkish comedy following three households making an attempt to name dibs on a list that they contemplate their dream home, solely to find that beneath the lustrous partitions of the Twenties Spanish-style villa lies an unsolved homicide.

What Is ‘No Good Deed’ About?

Lydia (Lisa Kudrow) and Paul Morgan (Ray Romano) have been caught prior to now ever since their son was shot three years in the past in a theft gone mistaken. In an try to maneuver on, the couple decides to place their dwelling in the marketplace, and its first open home attracts the eye of a number of potential consumers. From the second that Leslie Fisher (Abbi Jacobson) and her companion Sarah Weber (Poppy Liu) set foot on the Los Feliz property, they’re blown away by how the place matches their imaginative and prescient board. After quitting IVF, their aim is to make use of their financial savings to discover a place they will each name dwelling. But, two different households are vying for the mansion, together with soon-to-be dad and mom Carla Owens (Teyonah Parris) and Dennis Sampson (O-T Fagbenle), in addition to washed-up cleaning soap opera star JD Campbell (Luke Wilson) and his social-climbing spouse, Margo Starling (Linda Cardellini).

Whereas all of them pull strings to get their supply permitted, the Morgans have unfinished enterprise with Paul’s brother, Mickey (Denis Leary). The latter is out of jail now and wishes monetary assist to get his life again so as. After he blackmails them into handing him over $80,000, Lydia and Paul take drastic measures to make sure that Mickey will keep silent about what actually occurred on the night time their son died. Because the couple goes above and past to maintain Mickey from spilling the beans, the viewers is fed an increasing number of clues as to the killer’s id and why the Morgans are so reluctant for the reality to return out.

Lisa Kudrow Provides Nuance to ‘No Good Deed’

Netflix’s latest black comedy balances dry wit with grief in a purposeful method (very like Lifeless to Me), with the lead couple mourning over the lack of their little one. Though Paul retains his wrestle to himself, Lydia is a strolling embodiment of unhappiness and despair. She has barely left the home and her profession as a proficient pianist is now not manageable, since her fingers tremble every time somebody asks her why she hasn’t touched the instrument in so lengthy. Lisa Kudrow flexes her performing chops right here, taking part in a personality shattered by the considered by no means seeing Jacob (Wyatt Aubrey) once more and not sure whether or not letting go of her property is synonymous with letting go of the reminiscences it holds. Though the Mates alum is usually acknowledged for her impeccable comedic timing, her efficiency in No Good Deed additional showcases her knack for emotional roles.

But, the depth of Lydia’s arc considerably outshines her onscreen companion’s. Romano’s Paul is hurting, however his sophisticated relationship with Mickey prevents the viewer from diving too deep into his grief journey. When the character lastly takes a visit down reminiscence lane whereas roaming his late son’s room, it is a second that does not land as laborious, because the build-up wasn’t peppered with extra foreshadowing glimpses. If there’s one place the place No Good Deed stumbles, it is in giving equal weight to Lydia and Paul’s grieving processes, even once they differ.

‘No Good Deed’s Ensemble Embraces the Collection’ Satirical Humor

Regardless of this, No Good Deed is a first-rate instance of an ensemble piece achieved proper. The three {couples} concerned within the bidding battle assist to floor the present’s satirical tone, with a few of them defying their ethical compass for the sake of claiming the dreamy property. It is hilarious to observe Leslie and Sarah grow to be engulfed within the lore surrounding the Morgans’ family, trespassing and snooping to uncover the secrets and techniques that the homeowners are working tirelessly to hide. It is also inconceivable to not grow to be drawn to Cardellini’s Margo, whose internet of lies makes her character laborious to decipher. Though she is married to a rich actor and consistently spending his wage on high-end purses, she is way from glad. Watching Cardellini in a job that’s the exact opposite of Dead to Me‘s sweet and nurturing Judy Hale is an plain deal with.

General, Feldman’s newest undertaking builds on features of her earlier Netflix sequence by as soon as once more utilizing comedy as a automobile to look at grief. Regardless of this widespread thread between the 2 reveals, the creator efficiently branches out into new territory by incorporating a contemporary angle and counting on a packed forged to maintain the story predominantly fulfilling all through its eight-episode run. With rewarding performances (significantly from Kudrow and Cardellini) and a homicide thriller that deeply examines character flaws, No Good Deed evokes the nostalgic emotions of a Garry Marshall movie however with a darker comedic vein. Its satirical have a look at the shopping for and promoting of an LA mansion makes for a nightmarish trip that’s equally chaotic and pleasant.

No Good Deed premieres December 12 on Netflix.

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