A Simple Plan (1998)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers (WGA):

Scott B. Smith (novel)
Scott B. Smith (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 December 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Sometimes good people do evil things.

Plot:

Two brothers and a friend find $4 million in the cockpit of a downed plane. The pilot is dead. No one is looking for the money. To keep it, all they have to do is wait. IT ALL SOUNDED SO SIMPLE...

Plot Keywords:

Money | Brother | Stolen Money | Bag | Cash

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 12 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Bill Paxton	...	Hank Mitchell
Bridget Fonda	...	Sarah Mitchell
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Jacob Mitchell
Brent Briscoe	...	Lou Chambers
Jack Walsh	...	Tom Butler
Chelcie Ross	...	Sheriff Carl Jenkins
Becky Ann Baker	...	Nancy Chambers
Gary Cole	...	Neil Baxter
Bob Davis	...	FBI Agent Renkins
Peter Syvertsen	...	FBI Agent Freemont
Tom Carey	...	Dwight Stephanson
John Paxton	...	Mr. Schmitt
Marie Mathay	...	News Reporter
Paul Magers	...	Anchorman
Joan Steffand	...	Anchorwoman
Jill Sayre	...	Hospital Nurse
Wayne A. Evenson	...	Bartender
Timothy Storms	...	Drinker
Terry Hempleman	...	Dead Pilot
Jay Gjernes	...	Bearded Man
Grant Curtis	...	Bar Patron
Solomon Abrams	...	Bar Patron
Nina Kaczorowski	...	Bar Patron
Thomas Boedy	...	Priest
Mary Woolever	...	Linda
Rhiannon R. Sauers	...	Girl on Sled
Christopher Gallus	...	Boy on Sled
Eric Cegon	...	Tommy
Robert Martin Halverson	...	Detective
Roger Watton	...	Barber
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Frank Beard	...	Funeral Party Member (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Raimi

Writing credits (WGA)
Scott B. Smith		(novel)
Scott B. Smith		(screenplay)

Produced by
Mark Gordon	....	executive producer
James Jacks	....	producer
Gary Levinsohn	....	executive producer
Michael Polaire	....	co-producer
Adam Schroeder	....	producer

Original Music by
Danny Elfman

Cinematography by
Alar Kivilo

Film Editing by
Eric L. Beason
Arthur Coburn

Casting by
Ilene Starger

Production Design by
Patrizia von Brandenstein		(as Patrizia Von Brandenstein)

Art Direction by
James F. Truesdale

Set Decoration by
Hilton Rosemarin

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Crist Ballas	....	additional special makeup effects
Kamar Bitar	....	makeup coordinator
Lynne K. Eagan	....	makeup artist (as Lynne Eagan)
Theodore Haines	....	special makeup effects technician
Sherry Heart	....	hair stylist: second unit
Sherry Heart	....	makeup artist: second unit
Garrett Immel	....	special makeup effects technician
Karen Keener	....	special makeup effects technician
Robert Kurtzman	....	special makeup effects supervisor/puppeteer
Jake McKinnon	....	special makeup effects technician
Ron Pipes	....	special makeup effects technician
Kim Santantonio	....	supervising hair stylist
Janeen Schreyer	....	supervising makeup artist
Mary Jo Seidl	....	assistant hair stylist
Wayne Toth	....	special makeup effects technician
David Wogh	....	special makeup effects technician (as Dave Wogh)
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special makeup effects artist: prosthetic pregnancy for Bridget Fonda (uncredited)

Production Management
Joe Dishner	....	unit production manager
Julie Hartley	....	production supervisor: second unit
George Hernandez	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Newt Arnold	....	first assistant director
George Fortmuller	....	first assistant director: second unit
Dave Halls	....	second second assistant director
Doug Lefler	....	second unit director
Robin R. Oliver	....	second assistant director (as Robin Oliver)

Art Department
Alton Anderson	....	painter
Joseph Barillaro	....	painter
John Barry McMahon	....	painter
Adam Beck	....	property master: second unit
Curtis Bellows	....	painter
John Berger	....	assistant art director
Sarah Black	....	painter
Chad Busewicz	....	painter
Bill Cancienne	....	property person
John Alan Champion	....	set dresser (as John Champion)
W. Therese Eberhard	....	scenic foreperson
Kelly Hemenway	....	lead scenic artist (as Kelly Rae Hemenway)
Deeanna Langely	....	painter
Kimberly Lawler	....	painter
Cyril A. Matthys	....	set dresser (as Cyril Matthys)
Amie McCarthy	....	property master (as Amie McCarthy-Winn)
Scott Nordhausen	....	set dresser
Troy Osman	....	construction foreperson
Tyler Osman	....	construction coordinator
Joel Prihoda	....	lead person
Eric Ramsey	....	storyboard artist
Michelle Roy	....	painter
Rando Schmook	....	set designer
Tim Schwob	....	construction foreperson (as Timothy R. Schwob)
F. Andrew Scott	....	painter
Cathy Shapiro	....	painter
Stuart Skrien	....	set dresser
Joshua Sundby	....	property person
Thomas Torrison	....	painter
Scott Troha	....	set dresser
Devin Tuuri-Derby	....	scenic foreperson
Susan J. Tveit	....	art department coordinator (as Suzy Tveit)
Douglas Weatherhead	....	painter
William A. Wilson	....	set dresser (as William Wilson)

Sound Department
David W. Alstadter	....	foley mixer (as David Alstadter)
Dana Austin	....	adr recordist (as Dana Porter)
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Patricia Conaway Lamberti	....	digital sound assistant (as Patricia Lamberti)
Harve Cook	....	cable person
Dino Dimuro	....	sound editor
Laura R. Harris	....	dialogue editor
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor
Nick Kharabadz	....	first assistant sound editor (as Nick Kharabadze)
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Julie Lucas	....	foley recordist (as Julie C. Lucas)
James Moriana	....	foley artist (as Jim Moriana)
Philip D. Morrill	....	digital sound assistant
Gary Mundheim	....	foley editor
Ed Novick	....	sound mixer
Christopher O'Donnell	....	boom operator
Kelly Oxford	....	sound editor (as Kelly L. Oxford)
Alan Rankin	....	sound editor
Scott Sanders	....	sound editor
Brad Sherman	....	sound re-recording mixer
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Melissa S. Hofmann)
Frederick H. Stahly	....	dialogue editor
Drew Webster	....	mixing recordist
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeff Wilhoit)
Michael D. Wilhoit	....	supervising sound editor (as Michael Wilhoit)
Scott Wolf	....	adr editor

Special Effects by
Nicholas Aune	....	snow effects crew
Donald Beaulieu	....	snow effects crew (as Don Beaulieu)
Kenneth Coulman	....	snow effects crew (as Kenny Coulman)
Matt Eder	....	snow effects crew
Mike Gulenchyn	....	special effects assistant
Rodman Kiser	....	special effects foreperson (as Rod Kiser)
Marc Mahowald	....	special effects assistant
Allan Martin	....	snow effects crew
John D. Milinac	....	special effects supervisor
Paul Murphy	....	special effects technician
Aron D. Peterson	....	snow effects crew (as Aron Peterson)
Jason Michael Pinski	....	snow effects crew
Bryan Relyea	....	snow effects crew
Dieter Sturm	....	snow effects supervisor
Yvonne Sturm	....	snow effects foreperson
Brett Tardiff	....	special effects assistant

Visual Effects by
Will McCoy	....	digital compositor
David Rand	....	digital artist
John Rauh	....	digital compositor
David Stephan	....	visual storyboard supervisor (as Dave Stephan)
Brigitte Bourque	....	visual effects compositor: Rainmaker Digital (uncredited)
Mark Franco	....	visual effects executive producer: Rainmaker Digital Pictures (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Jay Caputo	....	stunt coordinator
Christopher Doyle	....	stunt coordinator (as Chris Doyle)
James Fierro	....	stunts
Eric D. Howell	....	stunts
Greg Walker	....	stunts
Spice Williams-Crosby	....	stunts (as Spice Williams)

Camera and Electrical Department
Laura Mae Bobick	....	film loader: second unit
Greg Bubb	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Robert C. Carlson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera, second unit (as Robert Carlson)
Peter Clemence	....	second company grip
Ed Dally	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Christopher Devitt	....	electrician
Joseph Dianda	....	first company grip
Vincent Donohue	....	rigging lighting electrician
Milo Durben	....	dolly grip
Tom Franchett	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Dave Gillen	....	electrician
Michael Handley	....	assistant chief lighting technician: second unit (as Mike Handley)
Michael Hoffer	....	rigging first company grip
Laura Holzschuh	....	film loader (as Laura Holzshuh)
Christopher Hultgren	....	rigging electrician (as Chris Hultgren)
George Kohut	....	camera operator: "b" camera, second unit
Peter Kuttner	....	first assistant camera
Chris Malone	....	electrician
Michelle M. Mann	....	camera remote technician
David Meyers	....	gaffer: second unit
Chris Miller	....	dolly grip: second unit
Melissa Moseley	....	still photographer
Thomas O'Connor	....	gaffer
Rory Olson	....	rigging electrician
Timothy O'Toole	....	video assist operator
Monty Rowan	....	camera operator
Paul Ryan	....	director of photography: second unit
James Schaidler	....	grip: second unit
Gary D. Scott	....	first assistant camera: second unit (as Gary Scott)
Afshin Shahidi	....	second assistant camera
Joseph Slagerman	....	electrician (as Joe Slagerman)
Christopher Slater	....	rigging electrician (as Chris Slater)
Steve Speers	....	film loader
J.R. Thompson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jeff Villars	....	rigging grip
Wilson Webb	....	electrician
Elan Yaari	....	gaffer
Gerhard Riautschnig	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Lynn Blumenthal	....	casting: Minnesota
Nancy Briggs	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting
Kim Miscia	....	casting associate
Sonya 'Sonny' Tormoen	....	extras casting
David Pollison	....	casting associate (uncredited)
Erin Sahlstrom	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)
Janice Wilde	....	casting assistant (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Nancy Mrnak	....	seamstress
Trina Mrnak	....	supervising set costumer
Hope Slepak	....	costume supervisor
Spence Spensely	....	set costumer
Reese Spensley	....	key costumer: second unit
Reese Spensley	....	set costumer
Susan Strubel	....	production assistant: costume department

Editorial Department
Mary Ahmann	....	editor intern
Patrick Gallagher	....	assistant editor: avid
Lynel Moore	....	assistant film editor (as Lynel Moore Cioffi)
Jim Passon	....	color timer
Amanda M. Pirkl	....	post-production assistant
Theresa Repola Mohammed	....	negative cutter
Sean Valla	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation
Tod Holcomb	....	assistant music editor
Artie Kane	....	conductor
Marc Mann	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
Shawn Murphy	....	score recordist
Ellen Segal	....	music editor
Edrich Siebert	....	music arranger: "Auld Lang Syne"
Edgardo Simone	....	orchestrator
Patti Zimmitti	....	orchestra contractor
Ted Masur	....	assistant to orchestrator (uncredited)
Stephanie Murray	....	score stage administrator (uncredited)
Paul Wertheimer	....	music recordist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Arnold	....	picture car coordinator
Michael Kennedy	....	transportation captain (as Mike Kennedy)
Marc Scott	....	transportation coordinator
Leo Skudlarek	....	driver: hair and makeup department (uncredited)

Other crew
Matt Adler	....	adr loop group
Shad Allen	....	production assistant
Paul Asplund	....	assistant production coordinator
Dawn Barkan	....	animal trainer
Judi Beecher	....	adr loop group
Cheryl Broussard	....	production assistant: second unit
Kyle Clementson	....	production assistant
Dennis Compton	....	technical advisor
Michael Culbert	....	assistant: Mr. Paxton (as Michael Colbert)
Grant Curtis	....	assistant: Mr. Raimi
Jenni David	....	production assistant (as Jennifer David)
Michael Deak	....	puppeteer (as Mike Deak)
Tim Drackert	....	mechanical special assistant
Judi M. Durand	....	adr loop group (as Judi Durand)
Signe Erickson	....	production assistant
Greg Finley	....	adr loop group
Peggy Flood	....	adr loop group
Sean Hartley Francis	....	production assistant (as Sean Francis)
Joe Hackett	....	adr loop group (as Joe Hacket)
Tony Hanson	....	production assistant
Mark Har	....	assistant location manager
Barbara Harris	....	adr loop group (as Barbara Iley)
Cheryl Harris	....	animal trainer
Michelle Harwell	....	production assistant: second unit
Anne Healy	....	location manager: Ashland
Susan Hegstrom	....	production assistant
Bruce Heller	....	assistant: Mr. Thornton
Greg Hill	....	production assistant
Boysie Jereza	....	payroll auditor
Amity Johnson	....	production assistant: second unit
Nina Kaczorowski	....	assistant: Mr. Jacks
Linda Kuusisto	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Linda Kusisto)
Robert Louis Kurtzman	....	puppeteer
Jake McKinnon	....	puppeteer
Sean McNamee	....	assistant: Mr. Thornton
Bob Medcraft	....	location manager
Jennifer Moyer	....	assistant: Mr. Jacks
Lucia Murillo	....	assistant: Mr. Schroeder
Bob Neill	....	adr loop group
Margaret J. Orlando	....	assistant production coordinator (as Margaret Orlando)
Jeremy Oswald	....	production assistant: second unit
Missy Parker	....	production assistant (as Melissa Parker)
David Parr	....	production assistant
Susana Preston	....	script supervisor
David Randolph	....	adr loop group
Lucas Roman	....	production assistant: second unit
Peggy Rosson	....	auditor (as Peggy Ann Rosson)
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance (as Albert G. Rubens)
Kate Sheeley	....	assistant: Mr. Polaire
Barbara Spado	....	craft service (as Barb Spado)
Michaelle Sparrow	....	assistant auditor
Janice F. Sperling	....	production coordinator
Michael Swafford	....	first assistant auditor
Gloria Tacchino	....	assistant: Ms. Fonda
Michelle Theis	....	production assistant: second unit
Sonya 'Sonny' Tormoen	....	production assistant
Jeffrey Tyler	....	assistant: Ms. Fonda
James P. Warren	....	animal trainer (as Jim Warren)
Lynn Younglove	....	production assistant
Michael Barnes	....	financial legal services (uncredited)
Eric Chatterjee	....	library researcher (uncredited)
Dave Dustin	....	set medic (uncredited)
Melissa Elliott	....	title designer (uncredited)
Michael Hansen	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Michael Landers	....	body double: Bill Paxton (uncredited)

Thanks
Lindy Bartlett	....	thanks
Sean Daniel	....	thanks
Ross Peterson	....	thanks
Robert G. Tapert	....	thanks (as Robert Tapert)
Red White	....	thanks

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Mutual Film Company
• Paramount Pictures
• Savoy Pictures (in association with)
• Tele München Fernseh Produktionsgesellschaft (TMG)
• Toho Company
• Towa Video
• Union Générale Cinématographique (UGC)

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (USA)
• Mutual Films International (non-USA)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1999) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (Argentina) (video)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (2000) (Germany) (DVD)
• Distribution Company (Argentina)
• EDKO Film (Hong Kong)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Líder Films (Spain)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Film Distribution (Netherlands)
• UGC-Fox Distribution (UFD) (France)

Special Effects

• K.N.B. Effects Group (special makeup effects)
• Rainmaker Digital Pictures (digital effects)
• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making)

Other Companies

• American Humane Association, The  animal activity monitoring
• Big Time Picture Company  post-production facilities
• Birds & Animals Unlimited  animals provided by
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinema Completions International (CCI)  completion guaranty provided through
• Cinema Research  titles
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color (as Deluxe)
• Hall of Fame  catering
• Newmarket Capital Group  production financing
• Pacific Title/Mirage  opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Paramount Pictures Scoring Stage M  score recorded and mixed at
• Renaissance Pictures  thanks
• Rescue Resources  medical services
• Soundelux Vine Street Studios  sound editorial services
• Soundelux Vine Street Studios  sound re-recording services

Also Known As:

A Thousand Miles (USA) (working title)
Ein einfacher Plan (Germany)
Un plan simple (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and language.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

France | UK | Germany | USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Peru:14 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #36288)

Filming Locations:

Ashland, Wisconsin, USA

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The clock on the wall in Carl's office, shown while he and Hank are waiting for Neil about 1:45 into the movie, has a name on it of the film's Art Dept Property Master (Amie McCarthy-Winn).

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: There is no rear view mirror in Carl's truck. This is visible when the three men are on their way to the downed plane.

Quotes:

Jacob Mitchell: Do you ever feel evil?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 56th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Preachin' the Blues

A study in desperation

A Simple Plan is certainly not a simple film, as some reviewers here had hoped it would be. The point is not how simple life is, but how horribly wrong and out of control things can get. This film takes you to the absolute depths of human greed, desperation, and frailty. It is amazing how many evil deeds one can rationalize by believing "and then it will all be over." A Simple Plan is a great character study which makes you think of what you would do in the same situation. At what point would you draw the line? How far would you go to keep millions of dollars all to yourself? The excellent photography adds to the sense of desperation that permeates the whole film. The vast, snowbound landscape is the perfect image for the feelings the main characters have for their station in life: cold, silent, lifeless, unending, and unrelenting.

Don't watch this movie unless you are prepared to see a group of people reach the end of their rope and make a series of life-changing decisions.