Directed by:
Sam RaimiScreenplay:
Scott B. SmithCinematography:
Alar KiviloComposer:
Danny ElfmanCast:
Bill Paxton, Bridget Fonda, Billy Bob Thornton, Brent Briscoe, Gary Cole, Chelcie Ross, Becky Ann Baker, Frank Beard, Jack Walsh, Peter Syvertsen, Tom Carey (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
The Mitchell brothers stumble across a downed airplane that contains millions of dollars. They plot to keep the money- but greed causes distrust amongst them. (official distributor synopsis)
Reviews (8)
A gripping little thriller with brilliantly written characters (Bridget Fonda) and great performances (Billy Bob Thornton). Besides the high tension, the film offers a very important life lesson: never conspire with mentally handicapped people because they can ruin even the simplest plans. The ending is excellent. Raimi at his best.
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Sam Raimi has made a decent series of films, some of which benefit from the nostalgia of movie fans (The Evil Dead), some from his reputation as a commercially successful creator (Spiderman), but if I had to label a film that he truly succeeded at and is the pinnacle of his directorial efforts so far, then I would without hesitation point to A Simple Plan. Some compare it to Fargo, whereas I would rather use the analogy to Sidney Lumet's film Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but in any case, it belongs to the same dark crime genre that transitions into top-notch psychological drama with well-developed characters and polished emotional scenes. The scenes in the sheriff's office, where the protagonist hunts down individual bullets, and later in the crashed airplane, where he tries to load them, are among those that I will hold in my memory of my best movie experiences, and the scene of the final execution reminded me of a similar tragic scene from Of Mice and Men. So what is the message of the film? When you find a bag full of money, try to be single if possible, or quickly hand over the money to the appropriate authorities. Otherwise, things will quickly start to go wrong and you won't want to see those consequences. Compared to Fargo, this film is somewhat less flashy, so don't look for any bodies in a woodchipper, but the ending is more acrid. The sad protagonist finds himself in a situation where he doesn't experience a terrible ending, but rather endless horror. Overall impression: 90%.
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As a kid from the younger generation, I had associated Raimi mainly with Spider-Man (I knew that there was some kind of The Evil Dead, of course, but I had no idea that it was one of Raimi's first pieces :)). And A Simple Plan is great in every way – the perfect atmosphere enhanced by Elfman's wonderful music, an elaborate script, and Billy Bob Thornton as the slightly slow Jacob was excellent, as were the rest of the cast. Raimi's amazing concept, a few chilling moments, and a truly "badass" (I had to use that word:)) ending ensure a truly extraordinary experience.
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A tale of one smart and two dumber small-towners who can't resist the temptation to get rich quick in a beautiful winter landscape straight out of Fargo – But that's the end of any connection to the famous brand. Instead of cynical humour, there’s a real-life story about unfulfilled dreams, old wrongs and faith in a better tomorrow, accompanied by trite wisdoms of the type “less is sometimes more”, but they are delivered with such casualness and taste that they can be forgiven. The initially flat characters develop into full-fledged individuals whose fate will matter a lot in the finale. And Billy Bob Thornton is superb.
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The brilliant Sam Raimi before he embarked on his high-budget Hollywood career with Spiderman. Minimum space, a chilling atmosphere, an excellent screenplay, and a logical resolution of complex machinations around 4 million dollars that three small-town residents happen to find by chance. It’s slightly reminiscent of Fargo with its effortless and subliminal cynicism, accompanied by violence – just less extreme – while the ending is unexpected. The ensemble cast is a pleasure to watch.
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