A Simple Plan (1998)

When three blue collar acquaintances come across millions of dollars in lost cash they make a plan to keep their find from the authorities but find complications and mistrust weaving its way into their plan.

Director:

Sam Raimi

Writers:

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

Stars:

Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 15 wins & 22 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Paxton	...	Hank
Bridget Fonda	...	Sarah
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Jacob
Brent Briscoe	...	Lou
Jack Walsh	...	Tom Butler
Chelcie Ross	...	Carl
Becky Ann Baker	...	Nancy Chambers
Gary Cole	...	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

Storyline

Three diverse characters, for the most part intellectually challenged, find a deserted plane with a bag full of millions of dollars inside. They devise a simple plan to keep the money if no-one claims it. Ofcourse, nothing turns out simple...

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Plot Keywords:

plane wreck | screenplay adapted by author | found money | bag of money | neo noir | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes good people do evil things.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence and language

Details

Country:

UK Germany France USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 January 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Thousand Miles

Filming Locations:

Ashland, Wisconsin, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$390,563, 13 December 1998, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$16,311,763, 16 May 1999

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Mutual Film Company, Paramount Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Originally intended to be produced by Savoy Pictures. "A Simple Plan" was in pre-production when Savoy went out of business and began to sell its upcoming projects to other motion picture studios, one being Paramount which picked up the film for production and distribution.

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Goofs

When Hank and Jacob are sitting in the car, the window is up, but when Jacob gets out, the window is down

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Quotes

[first lines]
Hank Mitchell: [narrating] When I was still just a kid, I remember my father telling me what he thought that it took for a man to be happy. Simple things, really. A wife he loves, a decent job, friends and neighbors who like and respect him. And for a while there, without hardly even realizing it, I had all that. I was a happy man.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood, Extra!!! (2014)

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Soundtracks

Preachin' the Blues
Written by Jimmie Wood & J.J. Holiday
Performed by Imperial Crowns
Courtesy of Strictly Hits Music & J J Holiday Music

User Reviews

Highly Underrated !!! Guys wake up and Please see this movie and Vote , deserves a Place in IMDb Top 250

A simple plan,you may compare it with shawshank redemption and believe me Frank darabont won't mind it.Because this ain't a suspense thriller but with all the things open in the story you will love it.Sometime you will be so involved in the movie that you want to give some advice to the Bill Paxton ,and yes you must not forget about the Academy award nominee performance by the Billy Bob Thornton,the real innocence you can see in him.I don't know what else people were expecting from this movie????? i am curious to know this ! and also i would love to see this movie in IMDb top 250 , I am a movie buff and guys as Baz Luhrmann asked people to trust him on sunscreen i am asking you to trust me on " A simple plan " it worths a rent of 100 $ ,i believe is one of the best of movie that i had ever seen,Best Screenplay , Superb story , Good performances,As a whole i will rate it as 10/10 .