A Simple Plan (film)
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| A Simple Plan | |
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| Directed by | Sam Raimi |
| Produced by | Mark Gordon Gary Levinsohn |
| Written by | Novel & screenplay: Scott Smith |
| Starring | Bill Paxton Billy Bob Thornton Brent Briscoe Bridget Fonda |
| Music by | Danny Elfman |
| Editing by | Arthur Coburn |
| Distributed by | Paramount |
| Release date(s) | December 11, 1998 |
| Running time | 121 min. |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $30 million |
| IMDb profile | |
A Simple Plan is a 1998 film starring Bill Paxton as Hank Mitchell, Billy Bob Thornton as Jacob, Brent Briscoe as Lou, and Bridget Fonda as Sarah. The plot of this low-key thriller turns on a bag of money found in a crashed airplane. It was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Scott Smith (who also wrote the screenplay). Several prominent critics praised the film for its complexity and taut suspense (4 stars from Roger Ebert and Critic's Choice from The New York Times).
The film was filmed in Delano, Minnesota, and Ashland, Wisconsin. Billy Bob Thornton was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Scott B. Smith was nominated for the Academy Award for Writing Adapted Screenplay.
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[edit] Differences between the film and the novel
The screenplay made numerous changes to the plot, particularly to events in the second half of the novel. In the movie, after Lou and Nancy are killed, Hank does not kill Sonny or shoot Jacob; rather, he constructs a domestic dispute situation involving just Nancy and Lou, with he and Jacob walking in after Lou had killed Nancy.
Hank and Jacob's relationship is somewhat different. Though still not close, they have more affection for one another in the film than in the novel. While the Jacob of the novel is morbidly obese, the one in the film is small and skinny. Though in both mediums Jacob is a pathetic loser, in the film he is much kinder and considerate, while in the novel he is much more selfish and even scheming.
Lou in the film is married, while in the novel he lives with his girlfriend. Though spiteful and antagonistic towards Hank in both mediums, in the novel Lou is notably more malicious, taking joy in ridiculing and bullying Hank.
While in the film Sarah still encourages several devious plans, in the novel she suggests that Hank murder Lou's neighbor, making her appear much more ruthless.
The film also changes Hank's reaction to finding out Baxter isn't an FBI agent. Rather than bolting, as he does in the novel, Hank stays with the plan realizing that if he leaves Baxter will kill Carl. Jacob also accompanies the crew. The result is a bloodbath, with only Hank surviving. Jacob is killed by Hank after Jacob threatens to commit suicide because he feels he can no longer live with what he's seen; Hank didn't want him to kill himself because which guns shot whom needed to align for his alibi.
Hank's killing spree at the convenience store is also excluded from the film.
Overall, the changes make the finished story less violent and Hank's character more compassionate. Hank in the film is far less murderous and even more remorseful for what he does than the Hank of the novel, who willinglly executes innocent bystanders without hesitation. Hank is also depicted protecting Carl in the film, whereas in the novel he leaves Carl for dead. Much of the dialogue and themes, however, are carefully maintained in both media.
[edit] Reception
The film had two nominations for the 1999 Academy Award: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Billy Bob Thornton, and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium, for Scott B. Smith
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[edit] External links
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