A Simple Plan is a 1998 neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Sam Raimi and written by Scott B. Smith, based on Smith's 1993 novel of the same name. Sarah surmises that the dead pilot was one of the brothers, as the ransom was delivered, but the whereabouts of the two brothers remain unknown. [7] Smith's manuscript of A Simple Plan was optioned for development at an independent film studio, Savoy Pictures. A laconic, chain-smoking barber blackmails his wife's boss and lover for money to invest in dry cleaning, but his plan goes terribly wrong. [21] He used Eastman Kodak 5246 250ASA Vision film stock for all of the daylight scenes and tungsten-balanced 5279 Vision 500T film stock for the night scenes. or. . [20] The film marked production designer Patrizia von Brandenstein's second collaboration with Raimi, after The Quick and the Dead (1995). Business/Industry Overview. Speaking of which, the best thing about this movie is its exploration of human nature and how "the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil," as the Bible puts it.The movie effectively shows how basically good and normal people can be corrupted by the temptation of easy wealth; so corrupted that he or she is suddenly willing to murder, lie and connive. [25] AllMusic's William Ruhlmann wrote, "There are occasional moments that suggest the composer's more characteristic approach, but his writing is in the service of a smaller, if still intense cinematic subjects, and it is appropriately restrained. The film stars Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda. A simple plan to help the kids . "[5] The shortening of the script also resulted in the character of Sarah having a smaller role, and Jacob's involvement being much larger than in the book. He is not suspected of any wrongdoing, and is told that the money was part of a ransom and that many of the bills' serial numbers were written down to track the cash. Hank then tries to calm Lou's wife Nancy, who gets a revolver and shoots at Hank, who then kills her with Lou's shotgun. [21]:2 The home of Lou Chambers and his wife Nancy was filmed in an abandoned house in Delano,[20] which cinematographer Alar Kivilo described as "a very difficult [filming] location with very low ceilings and no heating". [5], For the adaptation, certain visual changes were made from the 335-page novel. They devise a simple plan to keep the money if no-one claims it. That was the cruelest twist for an actor, to get a part you dreamed you'd get and then they decide to scrap the whole thing. Wedding Planning Service . To match the interior with footage shot in Wisconsin, the art department built a set with real trees and a painted backdrop. Log In. We need to listen to Shaw's plan and then come to a consensus on the way forward. [db:quest=3c7a23030cb]A Simple Plan[/db:quest] Copy Tooltip Code to Clipboard. Lou grows enraged when he realizes that they have conspired against him, and he pulls a shotgun on Hank. And so on. [8] Unable to secure financing from another studio, Stiller left the film. Nichols purchased the rights for his production company Icarus Productions[6] for $250,000, with an additional $750,000 to come later from a studio interested in pursuing the project. Posted on 19 January 2021 19 January 2021 by Barrheadboy. "A Simple Plan" is one of the year's best films for a lot of reasons, including its ability to involve the audience almost breathlessly in a story of mounting tragedy. [10] When a second investor left the project, Paramount refused to fully finance the $17 million production itself. [21][22], The interior of the crashed plane was filmed on a soundstage. [8][10], The project was purchased by Paramount Pictures, where producer Scott Rudin hired John Boorman to direct the film. "A Simple Plan" is far more literal, set in a recognizably real world where nobody's a goof or a geographical cliche. The owner of a seedy small-town Texas bar discovers that one of his employees is having an affair with his wife. A Simple Plan See more of A Simple Plan on Facebook. [19] Principal photography began on January 5, 1998. When Hank, his older, socially challenged brother Jacob, and their friend Lou Chambers chase a fox into the woods, they stumble upon a crashed airplane. Each cast member gives an excellent portrayal of his or her character, sucked into a dream whirlpool that becomes a death-laced nightmarish torrent. Simple Plan's third CD strikes to the swollen heart of emo, and maybe even pierces it a little. 264 people like this. (1998). "[25], A Simple Plan premiered at the 23rd Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 1998. [37] Janet Maslin of The New York Times called it a "quietly devastating thriller directed by [Raimi] ... who makes a flawless segue into mainstream storytelling. [10][11] In November 1995, following a series of box office failures, Savoy announced that it was retreating from the film industry. A Simple Plan premiered at the 1998 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was met with critical acclaim. At the police station, Hank tells his rehearsed story to real FBI agents. Three diverse characters, for the most part intellectually challenged, find a deserted plane with a bag full of millions of dollars inside. Written by [3], The film was co-financed by Mutual Film Company and Newmarket Capital Group[2] as part of a joint venture that was formed by the two studios. [32] In a later episode, Ebert ranked A Simple Plan at number four on his list of the "Best Films of 1998". [33] Siskel, writing for the Chicago Tribune, said that the film was "an exceedingly well-directed genre picture by [Raimi] ... [who] does an excellent job of presaging the lethal violence that follows. [15] In December 1997, it was announced that Bridget Fonda had secured the role. She insists that he should go alone, but Hank takes Jacob with him. If you are experiencing problems, please describe them. [13] The film marked Paxton and Thornton's second on-screen collaboration after One False Move (1992). After Scott B. Smith had published a short story for The New Yorker, the magazine's fiction editor learned of his then-unpublished novel A Simple Plan before reading it and forwarding it to an agent. Let me make one point straight away, Scotland will once again become an independent sovereign nation of the world! Hank manages to distract Baxter with the small amount of money he had returned to the plane, and he then shoots and kills Baxter. They devise a simple plan to keep the money if no-one claims it. The film stars Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, and Bridget Fonda. Much like Humphrey Bogart's The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, things can only get worse, as distrust and greed creep into the minds of the principles. Get a sneak peek of the new version of this page. 8,230 XP; Notes. A basic dynamic that is executed flawlessly. View production, box office, & company info. While Hank is on his way back from placing the money in the plane, Jacob, thinking that their cover is blown, bludgeons Dwight. Smith explained, "I had to work to make Hank a more rational character, less evil. [8], After learning of A Simple Plan from Nichols, Ben Stiller joined the project[8] and signed a two-picture directing deal with Savoy. Inspired by fan mail from troubled young people who found hope in their songs, Simple Plan made a choice six years ago to extend their help beyond the music. The British Union is in its last days. A Simple Plan. Hank lies to Lou, telling him that the money is not inside his house. . About A Simple Plan “Spectacular. August 1994 : USA Mass Market Paperback. Development of the film began in 1993 before the novel was published. This FAQ is empty. . [17] Paramount acquired the North American distribution rights. A Simple Plan Last Updated on May 6, 2015, by eNotes Editorial. Like the reprehensible " Very Bad Things," it is about friends stumbling into crime and then stumbling into bigger crimes in … Three diverse characters, for the most part intellectually challenged, find a deserted plane with a bag full of millions of dollars inside. SUBMIT . Progress. [22] A separate soundstage was used to create two sets depicting the interiors of the Mitchell home, where Hank and his wife Sarah (Fonda) reside. [5] Raimi did not have time to scout locations due to studio constraints. "[19] The production began shooting in Ashland and Saxon, Wisconsin, where most of the film's exterior shots were filmed. Audience Reviews for A Simple Plan. The song is about a man’s loss of meaning in his life … [42] At the 71st Academy Awards, Thornton received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but lost to James Coburn, who won the award for his performance in Affliction. Three blue-collar acquaintances come across millions of dollars in lost cash and make a plan to keep their find from the authorities, but it isn't long before complications and mistrust weave their way into the plan. [21], Despite the intense weather conditions, Kivilo believed that the overcast skies created a "gray, somber, stark look. A man begins to suspect his neighbors are not what they appear to be and their secrets could be deadly. S33 E11 42min TV-14 D, L. Nany stands up to Cara Maria, the players brave the Highway to Hell, and Wes masterminds a plan that lands a competitor no one expected on the Killing Floor. Sep 16, 2016. Principal photography began in January 1998 and concluded in March after 55 days of filming in Wisconsin and Minnesota. [27] More theaters were added during the limited run, and on January 22, 1999, the film officially entered wide release by screening in 660 theaters across North America. The website's consensus calls the film "A riveting crime thriller full of emotional tension. [21] Flash photography guns were used to depict the muzzle flashes during the shootouts. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. He suggests turning the money in, but Lou and Jacob persuade him not to. [30], Reviewing the film during the Toronto International Film Festival, Glen Lovell of Variety, compared it to Fargo (1996), writing, "The key differences are in emphasis and tone: Fargo is deadpan noir; A Simple Plan...is a more robust Midwestern Gothic that owes as much to Poe as Chandler. Boorman cast Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton in the respective leading roles of Hank and Jacob Mitchell. Community See All. Shortly thereafter, Smith learned that Mike Nichols was interested in purchasing the film rights. Use the HTML below. Player Help | Paramount+ Help. 19th Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, 11th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, 24th Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, "A Simple Plan – Box Office Data, DVD and Blu-ray Sales, Movie News, Cast and Crew Information – The Numbers", "Simple Plan, A (1998) - Misc Notes - TCM.com", "ENTERTAINMENT WORLD PROVES ENTERTAINING", "Making 'A Simple Plan' became a difficult task", "Sluggish Savoy Revs Up Production Under Fried", "A SIMPLE PLAN - Movie Production Notes ... CinemaReview.com", "Snow blind: DP Alar Kivilo witnesses A Simple Plan gone awry", "Film Music on the Web CD Reviews March 1999: Interview with Danny Elfman, composer", "A Simple Plan [Original Score] – Danny Elfman", "23rd Toronto International Film Festival Coverage", "A Simple Plan (1998) – Weekend Box Office Results – Box Office Mojo", "The Consummate Everyman: Goodbye to Bill Paxton | Balder and Dash", "Movie Review - A Simple Plan - FILM REVIEW; A Frozen Setting Frames a Chilling Tale - NYTimes.com", "Cold, 'Simple' Truths / Taut, nuanced tale of greed – SFGate", "Browse Results – Golden Globe Awards Official Website", "The 71st Academy Awards (1999) Nominees and Winners", Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, "1998 Archives – National Board of Review", "The 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards", "4th Critics' Choice Awards (1999) DigitalHit.com", "Chicago Film Critics Awards – 1998–2007", "Las Vegas Film Critics Society Sierra Award Winners", "1998 Awards (2nd Annual) Online Film Critics Society", Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=A_Simple_Plan_(film)&oldid=1012213065, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 2nd Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards, This page was last edited on 15 March 2021, at 05:52. He returns home and burns it all, leaving Sarah distraught. She found the weather difficult during filming, as she had to await good conditions to complete the necessary exterior work. After giving birth to their daughter Amanda, Sarah advises Hank to frame Lou for Dwight's murder, by getting Lou drunk and tricking him into making a false confession to the killing and recording it. He and Jacob tell the police this story, and are able to avoid arrest and suspicion. [16] Mutual's international partners—the United Kingdom's BBC, Germany's Tele-München, Japan's Toho-Towa/Marubeni and France's UGC-PH—also financed the production in exchange for distribution rights in their respective territories and equity stakes on the film on a worldwide basis. 264 people follow this. Top notch acting and writing. In the book, they're just walking and they find it. [21] He shot the film using Panavision Platinum cameras with the company's Primo series of prime lenses. 16 wins & 22 nominations. After Carl leaves, the three men decide to keep the money a secret, but Hank breaks the pact when he immediately reveals the discovery to Sarah. John Boorman was hired to direct, but scheduling conflicts led to his replacement by Raimi. Someone muses that the crows cluttering the tree branches are just hanging around, waiting for people to die. I was shortchanging the visual in my script, concentrating on dialogue, which I imagine is a very common first-time screenwriter's mistake, and to suddenly just do it visually opened up everything for me. Ben [Stiller] really taught me how to write a script. One accurate tab per song. A Simple Way To Live Your Life In today's life, everything is so complicated and complex that we forget what's really important. When Hank refuses, he threatens to commit suicide, which would implicate them both in the whole conspiracy. The film tells the story of a family whose uncle is murdered. "[5] Rudin wanted to change the focus of the story to Hank and Jacob, and ordered Smith to shorten the screenplay to 120 pages. "[34], Online film critic James Berardinelli praised the acting, but commended Thornton's performance as being "the most striking that A Simple Plan has to offer. Jacob grabs his hunting rifle from his truck and after a tense standoff, kills Lou to save his brother. [21] Kivilo originally wanted to shoot the film in widescreen using the anamorphic format, but decided against it due to the lack of lenses available and the film's restricted budget. Smith explained that one change involved the discovery of the crashed plane. [10], In January 1995, John Dahl was announced as director, with Nicolas Cage set to appear in a starring role, and filming likely to start during the following summer in the southern hemisphere or in Canada during the following winter. After Savoy closed in November 1997, the project was sold to Paramount Pictures. Set in rural Minnesota, the story follows brothers Hank (Paxton) and Jacob Mitchell (Thornton), who, along with Jacob's friend Lou (Brent Briscoe), discover a crashed plane containing $4.4 million in cash. Player Feedback. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 License. "A Simple Plan" is a beautifully shot film that details how greed beguiles a few small town residents into performing criminal acts that quickly spiral out of control. Word Count: 330 Many people indulge in fantasies about what they would do with a large sum of money. Wedding Planning Service . Each cast member gives an excellent portrayal of his or her character, sucked into a dream whirlpool that becomes a death-laced nightmarish torrent. In a closing narration, Hank reflects on his losses. Use the form below to send us your comments. A Simple Plan 72/100. A sane director would tick that off as “foreshadowing” and then get on with things. After Billy Bob Thornton was cast as Jacob, Smith omitted the character's overweight appearance from the novel. When she discovers this to be true, she calls to warn Hank, who steals a revolver and a handful of assorted bullets from Carl's office and desk. The landscape is snowy and nondescript, the locale an indistinct somewhere. . Title: A simple plan, right? This is a change of pace for me because the film is not about shots, but the performance within the frame. Do yourself a favor. Add the first question. Describing the overall look of the film, she stated, "We created a muted black-and-white color scheme to suggest a morality tale, the choices given between right and wrong. The instruments included alto and bass flutes, re-tuned pianos and banjos, zithers, and hand drums. [21] For exterior scenes shot during sunnier filming days, computer-generated imagery (CGI) was used to re-create the overcast skies[21] and counter any inconsistencies caused by the falling snow. "[40] Schlomo Schwartzberg of Boxoffice felt that the film "clutters up the story with unnecessary acts of violence and murder, and mainly stays on the surface, offering little more than cheap jolts of melodrama. A second plane, designed to have frosted windows, was attached to a gimbal, about five feet off the ground. We either expose Detheroc or it's war between the Alliance and Horde, and we lose the world to the Burning Legion. Life doesn't really need to be as complicated as we make it. An international co-production between the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France and Japan, the film was financed by Mutual Film Company, its investors and Newmarket Capital Group, which allocated a budget of $17 million. Watch A Simple Plan online for free with hdpopcorns. Hank Mitchell, his brother Jacob and Jacob’s friend Lou are riding together in Jacob’s truck when suddenly a fox runs out in the road in front of them. 5 of 5 people found this review helpful. Simple Plan Tabs with free online tab player. [20] An actual plane, with one side cut open, was one of two planes used to depict the crashed aircraft. Read this book.” —Entertainment Weekly. Are you a sugar feign like me? Title: A Simple Plan (Paragon Large Print) Author(s): Scott Smith ISBN: 0-7927-1951-4 / 978-0-7927-1951-9 (USA edition) Publisher: Chivers North Amer Availability: Amazon Amazon UK Amazon CA . About See All +30 698 682 1695. Brandon S Super Reviewer. The band has released five studio albums: No Pads, No Helmets...Just … [10] Boorman ran into scheduling conflicts, and left the film. [5] Smith described the film adaptation as being less violent than the book, explaining that it was Raimi's decision "to be more restrained [and] bring out the characters. Hank cannot use the money without being caught. He relied on the previous areas visited during Boorman's involvement. 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