A Simple
Plan
DOWN &
DIRTY:
Drama/Suspense: After finding
more than $4 million in a wrecked
plane, three men soon learn that
they can't trust each other as
greed, paranoia and guilt push
them ever deeper into trouble.
NITTY GRITTY:
Hank (BILL PAXTON) is an average
guy living a peaceful life in a
small town where he knows
everyone by name. He works at the
local feed mill and has a very
pregnant wife, Sarah (BRIDGET
FONDA).
Hank and his dimwitted brother
Jacob (BILLY BOB THORNTON) visit
their father's grave. As they
head back into town a
chicken-stealing fox runs in
front of Jacob's truck causing
him to crash into a tree.
Along for the ride is Jacob's
buddy, Lou (BRENT BRISCOE) and he
and Jacob decide to go after the
fox. Hank reluctantly follows
them into the woods looking for
the animal.
They discover a wrecked airplane
and inside a dead pilot and a bag
containing over $4 million. Jacob
and Lou are excited about the
find, but Hank doesn't want to
keep the money. The men
eventually come to an agreement
to let Hank hold the money until
the spring thaw and if nobody
reports it missing then they will
divide it up and leave town.
Of course, they immediately tell
others about the money, and learn
that they can't trust one another
when greed, paranoia and distrust
set in.
Sarah finds out that the money
was a ransom paid in a
kidnapping. Two men were involved
in the kidnapping and she and
Hank figure the pilot was one of
the men.
Hank and Jacob go back to the
plane to plant some of the money
in case the plane is found. A
farmer comes by asking Jacob if
he saw a fox. Jacob panics and
hits the farmer with a tire iron.
Hank has to finish killing the
injured old man and makes his
death look like a snowmobile
accident.
Jacob tells his buddy Lou about
the farmer's death and Lou tells
Hank he wants his share of the
money or he will go to the
police.
After a night of drinking, Hanks
tricks Lou into admitting he
killed the farmer and Hank tape
records his 'confession'. When
Lou discovers what Hank did, he
gets his shotgun and threatens to
kill Hank. Jacob shoots Lou to
save Hank.
Lou's live-in girlfriend Nancy
comes down and sees Lou dead. She
freaks out and goes in the
kitchen and gets her gun. Hank
tells her to drop the gun, but
she shoots at Hank and Hank
shoots and kills her.
THE ENDING:
FBI agent Baxter(GARY COLE) shows
up looking for the missing plane
and money. The local sheriff Carl
(CHELCIE ROSS) takes Hank and
Jacob and the FBI agent to the
area where the plane might have
crashed. Sarah discovers that the
FBI agent is really the other
kidnapper and warns Hank. Hank
tries to warn the sheriff, but
Baxter kills him first. Then Hank
kills Baxter. Jacob shows up and
tells Hank he is tired of lying
about all the killings. He tells
Hank he will have to kill him or
he will kill himself. Hank
reluctantly shoots his brother.
As they clean up all the dead
bodies, Hank learns that the real
FBI recorded the serial numbers
of some of the money, so he burns
it.
WHAT EVERYONE WILL BE
TALKING ABOUT:
Billy Bob Thornton's
performance. There hasn't been a
dimwit this sympathetic since
Lenny in 'Of Mice and Men'.
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