Even the simplest things can get out of hand pretty fast, as witnessed in this terse small-town thriller starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton and directed by Sam Raimi.
Flecked with the sparse, rich detail of rural Minnesota, this well-made drama unfortunately lurches into motivational lapses under the girth of its trip-wire plotting. Still, "A Simple Plan" is filled with ample pleasures, most prominently Thornton's addled and endearing portrayal of -- you'll never believe this -- a rube simpleton.
High-coastal cognoscenti who have formed their opinion of the Midwest through the Coen brothers' fractured frivolities will possibly be disappointed by this starkly naturalistic and chillingly accurate depiction of small-town life -- which is likely to harvest some initial interest on the select-site circuit, primarily in the upper Midwest. But this dimly scoped drama may be unappealing in the sunnier, noisier parts of the country, and the select-site viewers it draws may find its complex plottings a tad obvious after a bit.
A mite bigger (but not much) than those four-corner burgs with three taverns and a gas station, this town has a Main Street and a couple perpendiculars and then immediately congeals into a mix of tidy white houses and borderline stand-ups. In one of these frugal-but-homey domains resides "A Simple Plan"'s touchstone couple -- hard-working, underpaid bookkeeper Hank (Paxton) and his pregnant wife (Bridget Fonda). Like every respectable little-town guy, Hank still has goofy friends from school days (of course, they're not too far away) including his simple-minded brother Jason Thornton) and his beer buddy Lou (Brent Briscoe). They're not the kind of duo that conscientious Hank should hang out with.
Against his big-brotherish better judgment, Hank gets together with the pair one late-winter afternoon and, naturally, they get in trouble. After an auto mishap, they wander into the woods and trip upon a crashed private plane. No one knows it's there (the pilot is dead), and it's carrying a suitcase with $440,000 in cash. What to do? Good-guy Hank has the urge to do the right thing. But he is outvoted: His brother and buddy decide to keep the dough. After all, who will know?
Narratively, "A Simple Plan" is one of those philosophical/narrative constructs structured around a "what if"-type happenstance -- namely the opportunity to do something unbelievably prosperous with little chance of getting caught. Unfortunately, screenwriter Scott B. Smith's scenario is decidedly predictable, and we soon catch on to the trio's antics and outcome. There are some plot inconsistencies and motivations that diminish the story line. Nevertheless, the film is layered with canny moral underpinnings that make for provocative questions.
Overall, "A Simple Plan" is highlighted by the superb acting. Thornton is moving as a simple-minded middle American; he's sympathetic and maddening. Paxton exudes complexity as the fair-minded brother. Briscoe is smartly startling as the frantic friend.
Technical contributions are well realized, particularly cinematographer Alar Kivilo's stark lensing that illuminates the complex moral ambiguities in the story. Also, special praise to production designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein for the shrewd and perceptive layout.
A SIMPLE PLAN
Paramount Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
In association with Savoy Pictures
A Sam Raimi film
Producers: James Jacks, Adam Schroeder
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Executive producers: Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon
Co-producer: Michael Polaire
Based upon the novel by: Scott B. Smith
Director of photography: Alar Kivilo
Production design: Patrizia Von Brandenstein
Editors: Arthur Coburn, Eric Beason
Costume design: Julie Weiss
Music: Danny Elfman
Casting: Ilene Starger
Sound mixer: Ed Novick
Color/stereo
Cast:
Hank: Bill Paxton
Sarah: Bridget Fonda
Jacob: Billy Bob Thornton
Lou: Brent Briscoe
Tom Butler: Jack Walsh
Carl: Chelcie Ross
Nancy: Becky Ann Baker
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Flecked with the sparse, rich detail of rural Minnesota, this well-made drama unfortunately lurches into motivational lapses under the girth of its trip-wire plotting. Still, "A Simple Plan" is filled with ample pleasures, most prominently Thornton's addled and endearing portrayal of -- you'll never believe this -- a rube simpleton.
High-coastal cognoscenti who have formed their opinion of the Midwest through the Coen brothers' fractured frivolities will possibly be disappointed by this starkly naturalistic and chillingly accurate depiction of small-town life -- which is likely to harvest some initial interest on the select-site circuit, primarily in the upper Midwest. But this dimly scoped drama may be unappealing in the sunnier, noisier parts of the country, and the select-site viewers it draws may find its complex plottings a tad obvious after a bit.
A mite bigger (but not much) than those four-corner burgs with three taverns and a gas station, this town has a Main Street and a couple perpendiculars and then immediately congeals into a mix of tidy white houses and borderline stand-ups. In one of these frugal-but-homey domains resides "A Simple Plan"'s touchstone couple -- hard-working, underpaid bookkeeper Hank (Paxton) and his pregnant wife (Bridget Fonda). Like every respectable little-town guy, Hank still has goofy friends from school days (of course, they're not too far away) including his simple-minded brother Jason Thornton) and his beer buddy Lou (Brent Briscoe). They're not the kind of duo that conscientious Hank should hang out with.
Against his big-brotherish better judgment, Hank gets together with the pair one late-winter afternoon and, naturally, they get in trouble. After an auto mishap, they wander into the woods and trip upon a crashed private plane. No one knows it's there (the pilot is dead), and it's carrying a suitcase with $440,000 in cash. What to do? Good-guy Hank has the urge to do the right thing. But he is outvoted: His brother and buddy decide to keep the dough. After all, who will know?
Narratively, "A Simple Plan" is one of those philosophical/narrative constructs structured around a "what if"-type happenstance -- namely the opportunity to do something unbelievably prosperous with little chance of getting caught. Unfortunately, screenwriter Scott B. Smith's scenario is decidedly predictable, and we soon catch on to the trio's antics and outcome. There are some plot inconsistencies and motivations that diminish the story line. Nevertheless, the film is layered with canny moral underpinnings that make for provocative questions.
Overall, "A Simple Plan" is highlighted by the superb acting. Thornton is moving as a simple-minded middle American; he's sympathetic and maddening. Paxton exudes complexity as the fair-minded brother. Briscoe is smartly startling as the frantic friend.
Technical contributions are well realized, particularly cinematographer Alar Kivilo's stark lensing that illuminates the complex moral ambiguities in the story. Also, special praise to production designer Patrizia Von Brandenstein for the shrewd and perceptive layout.
A SIMPLE PLAN
Paramount Pictures
Mutual Film Co.
In association with Savoy Pictures
A Sam Raimi film
Producers: James Jacks, Adam Schroeder
Director: Sam Raimi
Screenwriter: Scott B. Smith
Executive producers: Gary Levinsohn, Mark Gordon
Co-producer: Michael Polaire
Based upon the novel by: Scott B. Smith
Director of photography: Alar Kivilo
Production design: Patrizia Von Brandenstein
Editors: Arthur Coburn, Eric Beason
Costume design: Julie Weiss
Music: Danny Elfman
Casting: Ilene Starger
Sound mixer: Ed Novick
Color/stereo
Cast:
Hank: Bill Paxton
Sarah: Bridget Fonda
Jacob: Billy Bob Thornton
Lou: Brent Briscoe
Tom Butler: Jack Walsh
Carl: Chelcie Ross
Nancy: Becky Ann Baker
Running time -- 121 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 12/9/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.