One False Move

It's so rare to find a film in which the events are driven by people, not by chases or special effects. And rarer still to find a story that subtly, insidiously gets us involved much more deeply than at first we realize, until at the end we're torn by what happens - by what has to happen.

One False Move is a small, nearly flawless gem of a film noir, a suspense drama that never lets up until the final credits. [17 July 1992, p.17]

Director Carl Franklin has cranked up an unnervingly tight-triggered film. Screenwriters Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson's scenario never relents from the out-of-control nature of the trio's bad acts. [7 May 1992]

As the movie progresses, it deepens emotionally and becomes less of a detective thriller and more of a character study, and it's to Franklin's credit that he never allows his hard-boiled style to soften. Thematically, the movie doesn't make a strong statement, but it is strikingly expressive in its details.

One False Move doesn't make a single false move its own self: It's as tough and gripping as they come. It's the first movie I've seen in months where, when I was walking out, I thought to myself, "Damn! I wanna see that one again!"

The way the destinies of four people converge in a small Arkansas town in One False Move is nothing short of wondrous.

Unlike other recent films noirs -- ''The Grifters,'' for example, or ''After Dark, My Sweet,'' both of which were based on Thompson stories -- One False Move lacks style and wit, and doesn't explore its characters beyond their cheap, cruddy exteriors. [24 June 1992, p.E1]

One False Move is a quintessential neo-noir film. Had it been released in the 1940s or 1950s, with some small tweaks, it would have been right at home. In 1992, it served as a last beacon of a bygone era in film. Directed by Carl Franklin, One False Move is a Southern-set film about three people - Ray Malcolm (Billy Bob Thornton), Fantasia (Cynda Williams), and Pluto (Michael Beach) - that kill six people and rip off a drug dealer. Headed to Star City, Arkansas after hoping to have sold the drugs in Houston, LAPD detectives Dud Cole (Jim Metzler) and John McFeely (Earl Billings) head to Arkansas to wait for them. In Arkansas, they are greeted by Dale "Hurricane" Dixon (Bill Paxton), the Chief of Police in the small city. A rough and tumble neo-noir, One False Move has flaws, but is also a tightly wound yarn that keeps you guessing till very last drop. One False Move is one of those films that is incredibly meticulous. The staging is detailed, every word and action is precise and carries great meaning and purpose. There are no throwaway lines or scenes that could be cut to trim any fat. The film is tightly plotted and written. Billy Bob Thornton's script is streamlined and explores a few subplots, but they all contribute to the main plot. For this to be his first produced script, it is incredibly impressive and shows the talent he has as a writer. Yet, the film is quintessential noir in the sense that it is entirely character-driven. Though the plot is important and one that entertains, the characters are really what makes the film sing. This does lead to some problems in the script, but the characters never cease to be entertaining and the actors all bring solid performances to the table that justify the character focus of the film. However, the film's greatest fault in its characters is how it rests on cultural stereotypes as a shorthand. Dale Dixon, the Arkansas cop, is an over-eager and bubbly fellow who is like a kid at Spring Training yelling for his favorite ballplayer to come sign a baseball for him. He wants to go to Los Angeles and become a cop after this experience and cannot get enough of the LA detectives and the fact that the crime spree is coming to him. The classic smalltown kind of guy from the South, he says the n-word a lot casually. The town of Star City similarly involves cliches with Dale and Fantasia/Lyla Walker having a history that the film seems to believe is a twist, but just typing the words above give it away. It is not a well-hidden secret and one, once hinted at, will become incredibly easy to pick out. Again, it is quite cliche in that element. The LA cops even represent cultural cliches with both feeling above the Arkansas cop, who is not a "real cop". Laughing at his dream to go west and be a cop there, they are self-absorbed jerks who drink their own kool-aid. In other words, they are big city cops that believe they are God's gift to police work. While the script is still terrific, these cultural stereotypes are a bit of a short hand in lieu of unique characterization. However, in the less character-focused moments, One False Move continues to provide excellent entertainment. Thrilling, edge-of-your-seat sequences such as simple ones in a gas station, being followed on the Texas highway, or the final shootout, the film keeps you guessing and in complete suspense. The film takes its time, never rushing through intense moments and instead allowing the audience to feel every drop of suspense possible. In many ways, it is akin to the recent release, Hell or High Water. It is a country-fried thriller dipped in BBQ, highlighted in One False Move's diegetic score towards the end with the harmonica. It really sets the tone perfectly and, if the country roads were not an indicator, it highlights the country. One False Move is a terrific neo-noir. Involving a very detailed and thrilling plot, the film is character-driven with the characters taking centerstage. Though they can be a bit cliched, they never stop entertaining the audience with each beat of the story that happens. One False Move's biggest sin is that is can be a predictable, but it more than make up for it with its incredibly written dialogue, characters, and plot that are not smartly put together, but incredibly detailed and highly engrossing. A small film that was fashioned as a straight-to-DVD release in 1992, One False Move is still greatly overlooked in the world of cinema and that is a shame. Though hardly groundbreaking, the tight direction from Carl Franklin, good cast, and incredibly well-written script make the film one that should not be missed.

Above average tense thriller with a superb cast, soundtrack, writing and cinematography. While it doesn't quite have the spark of the best in its genre,OFM is very entertaining.