A SIMPLE PLAN
*** (out of 4) - a good movie
Release Date: January 22, 1999 Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda, Brent Briscoe, Chelcie Ross, Gary Cole Directed by: Sam Raimi Distributed by: Paramount Pictures MPAA Rating: R (violence, language) URL: http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio/reviews/1999/simple.htm
The setup is familiar: a group of characters land themselves in a boatload of trouble and devise a simple plan to get out of it. The plan, needless to say, never goes as intended, and hence the plot of the movie. A SIMPLE PLAN, directed by Sam Raimi (DARKMAN), is entirely of this vein -- as the title indicates. But even more so, it's a fine example of a stylishly directed thriller: screenwriting, camerawork, editing, and sound all come together to make this movie a truly involving experience.
Bill Paxton headlines a cast of noteworthies as Hank Mitchell, an educated Midwesterner struggling to make ends meet. His wife Sarah (Bridget Fonda) is expecting a baby, and his job at the local grain mill may not cover their expenses. His brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) is even worse -- he hangs out with the town drunk, Lou (Brent Briscoe), and lives in a derelict apartment. So it's a fortunate turn of events for the threesome when, out hunting, they find over four million dollars inside a snow-covered plane wreck. Lou and Jacob want to spend the money immediately, but Hank insists on keeping the money until spring; if no one comes looking, then each man will get his share and they'll all leave town.
When it wants to be, A SIMPLE PLAN is a very gutsy movie. Most of the time, however, it relies on subtlety to create a tense atmosphere. For instance, most of the paranoia and incriminating doubt that the characters experience is completely unnecessary -- the characters build it up inside of themselves. Similarly, the writing in certain scenes (such as the one where Hank and Jacob attempt to evince a confession from Lou) is shrewd to the point of impossibility; the Scott Smith script runs in circles before it hits the viewer in the face. On the other hand, it also calls for stark imagery like a flock of ravens attacking Hank or several bloody shooting deaths. But most importantly, the biting irony of the script's ending should not be missed.
The cast is well-chosen. Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton work well together, and their contrasts and similarities are what anchor the movie. In most respects they're different individuals, bound only by their family name, but in the movie's brief moments of character study it's possible to see their likenesses. Interestingly enough, Jacob is often a much more intelligent character than he appears; his role, from start to finish, is an extraordinary one. Thornton masters it in fine form. Other supports are also effective, especially Bridget Fonda as Hank's wife Sarah.
A SIMPLE PLAN is not unreasonably complex, and can only be faulted for occasional moments of dullness. There are a number of possible Academy Award nominations for this picture, although they will certainly it will certainly be the dark horse. Certainly a worthwhile watch.
all contents (c) 1999 Craig Roush
-- Craig Roush kinnopio@execpc.com -- Kinnopio's Movie Reviews http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio
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