SIMPLE PLAN, A: DVD

SYNOPSIS:
On a wintry New Year's Eve in a small midwestern town, Hank Mitchell (Bill Paxton), his older brother Jacob (Billy Bob Thornton) and Jacob's buddy Lou (Brent Briscoe) stimble onto a crashed plane, with the pilot’s dead body – and a bag full of cash. Enough to change their dreary, insecure lives for ever. Reluctantly, Hank agrees to keep it, but only under the condition that he stashes it all away until they know it’s safe to split. Hank's pregnant wife Sarah (Bridget Fonda), becomes a key schemer in what was a simple plan, with a small twist. This leads to the first of several misadventures and accidents that gradually infect the relationships of all concerned and the potential blessing of the treasure becomes a curse that devastates them all – and several others.

"A superb and edgy thriller, A Simple Plan is simply one of the best of its genre. With its gorgeous winter white settings, the early scenes establish the black and white themes of the story; the jet black bird against the blinding purity of the snow. Black and white. Good and evil. The plan is simple, the result complex. What happens to people in the middle of the winter, in the middle of nowhere who find 4 ˝ million dollars and who have never had anything… What will they do? And more importantly, what happens to them? What is so striking about Scott B. Smith's gripping tale is that the main characters in the story are all innocent. The dark side of their personalities develops and starts to show when they succumb to their temptations. Everything changes – from their own personalities to that of their relationships. And what performances! Bill Paxton, perfect as everyman, Bridget Fonda, frightening as the wife whose morals take a sharp u-turn; Billy Bob Thornton, heartbreaking as the tragic brother who really does want to lead a simple life. Visceral and cinematic, the mood is greatly enhances by striking lighting and Danny Elfman's evocative score.

While the main attraction is the film, it is interesting to see that the theatrical trailer is actually a good one. So often it is wise to avoid watching the trailer, as it may give away key elements of the plot or indeed spoil some of the film's special moments. This one captures the mood and actually makes you want to see the film – which, of course is what all trailers should do.

You can hear from the cast and director Sam Raimi in a menu of short interviews. I was most intrigued by Billy Bob Thornton, who describes this as one of the best screenplays he has ever read. He talks about the collaborative process, his relationship with Sam Raimi and how in both mood and humour, he thinks the film reeks of Hitchcock. He says if Hitch were alive today, he is sure the master would approve. Raimi was attracted to both the novel and the screenplay and describes how all characters are drawn to the treasure for different reasons. The transformation from sweet, docile characters to doing evil deeds is nothing short of horrifying."
Louise Keller