A Simple Plan
Seen it?1998 | 121 min | Crime, Drama, Thriller
Friday Night FlickWhy it’s a Friday Night Flick
Critics loved it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes), it drew serious awards attention and it's still drawing plenty of interest. Make plans for this one.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for crime-drama fans and anyone who likes to be kept guessing. If you loved Fargo or Jackie Brown, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Tense, dark and gritty.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 1 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated R: meant for adults.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora's box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
91% on Rotten Tomatoes, 81 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
7.2 out of 10
- AwardsStrong
Won 2 Critics' Choice Awards: Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Best Supporting Actor, Critics' Choice Movie Awards: Best Screenplay – Adaptation. Also nominated for 2 Oscars, 1 Golden Globe and 1 SAG Award. Plus 13 other awards.
- Box office & staying powerWeak
$17 million worldwide on a $17 million budget
- Buzz & cultural impactStrong
About 340K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Fargo Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed workplace crime drama.
Jackie Brown
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Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Saturday SpecialAnother workplace crime drama.
The Town Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
The Killing Friday Night FlickAnother critically acclaimed crime drama.
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Cast & crew
Directed by Sam Raimi
- Billy Bob ThorntonJacob Mitchell
- Bill PaxtonHank Mitchell
- Bridget FondaSarah Mitchell
- Brent BriscoeLou Chambers
- Jack WalshTom Butler
- Chelcie RossCarl Jenkins
- Becky Ann BakerNancy Chambers
- Gary ColeBaxter
- Bob DavisFBI Agent Renkins
- Peter SyvertsenFBI Agent Freemont