One False Move

This modern film noir pits three violent criminals on the run from a violent drug rip-off against two LA cops aided by a rural sheriff. The trio of bad-guy consists of a white-trash loser (Thornton), his African-American girlfriend (Williams), and their high-IQ, sociopath friend (Beach) also black. After committing multiple murders in California they high-tail to Thornton's and Williams' hometown of Star, Arkansas to lay-low. Their journey across the backroads of Texas is fraught with danger, (it's not like they don't stand out) and unbeknownst to them, the cops are waiting....

Very well done without the "look at me I'm so realistic" dialogue too often found in this much copied genre. One of the best of its kind, well worth the rental.

This one keeps you on edge and it gives me the creeps, still, it is a well crafted, beautifully acted movie. I guess it's a bit too real for me. The murders are extremely violent. The less I see of drug addicts, coke heads and drug dealers, the better. Bill Paxton is absolutely terrific in this film and he outshines the rest of the cast, who are very good. Why haven't we seen more of Cynda Williams and Michael Beach, they are very fine actors? The film is well paced, beautifully photographed and there's even a little homage to "North by Northwest". This genre of realistic films is definitely not my 'cop of tea', but I can appreciate a well made film. Kudos to Carl Franklin for a job well done!

Boy, this film takes me back to the jerkwater Arkansas town where I spent several years of my youth. Bill Paxton (Aliens, True Lies, "Big Love") is spot on as a cracker sheriff who, in his words, hasn't drawn his gun in six years on the job. Well, he drew his gun seven years ago and it has now come back to haunt him and put him in a position that could get him killed.

Billy Bob Thornton (A Simple Plan, Sling Blade, Astronaut Farmer), Arkansas born himself, co-wrote and starred in this film and really pulls off the psycho robber with such perfection that I really cannot understand how a supposedly intelligent guy like "Pluto" (Michael Beach - Short Cuts, "Third Watch," "ER") could hook up with him, especially since they spent two years in jail after the last job. Joining the duo, was Cynda Williams (Mo' Better Blues) in her second film, as Fantasia/Lila. She did a super job.

As the trio heads to Houston from L.A. the body count rises and the Sheriff is put into a position where he has to act alone. False moves throughout the film just add to the tension and excitement.

I have seen this movie twice. The first time, for the whole movie I was on the edge of my seat. This was an intense film. From the extremely brutal beginning to the climatic end, I couldn't relax once. I did notice the fact that race played no factor; all colors were represented on both sides. In 1992, I had seen over fifty movies at the theater so I put together a top ten list and this movie made it easily. Since I knew how the movie would play out, on my second viewing I was able to look for other things. This time I noticed though the thrilling aspects of the film were used to set the movie in motion, underneath there was an examination of big city meets rural town. Amazingly, the main characters weren't treated as stereotypes. Each character (I count six) was fleshed out but not too much. There were no judgments on which life was better or any advantages or disadvantages to either style of living. In a lot of ways the film reminded me of John Sayles' movies. In other words a movie that a lot of thought went into making it. A great film.

stumbled on this while scrolling through fearnet on demand. Its not a horror but a well-paced action-thriller about ruthless drug dealers traveling across country from LA to Arkansas. Billybob Thornton is riveting as the unpredictable, volatile crackhead while Bill Paxton is the easy going country boy-made -good sheriff who has never had to use his gun before and gets a thrill out of helping out the LA fuzz apprehend Thornton and his accomplices. Throw in a prior "relationship/paternity situation" between Paxton and Thornton's girlfriend/moll and this ends up being far superior to your average cops and robbers showdown. It had a great 90's feel to it with the complete absence of modern devices like cell phones, everyone puffing away on cigarettes like there was no tomorrow and some very un-PC language and references. In these sort of movies, endings usually disappoint but I felt this tied up everything perfectly and there was no over-dramatization which is what the director sometimes feels like he has to do.