A modern noir story with early career performances from Josh Brolin and Reese Witherspoon, the film has it’s flaws, in particular some of the dialogue is a bit hackneyed, but it’s really interestingly structured as it twists and turns.
Opening on a night out gone wrong the film takes us back to show us how we’ve got to this point. The shifts in timeframe are smartly highlighted by the different colour palettes used, one a washed out spectrum of strong colours the other a clearer more naturalistic feel. It’s a neat device that also helps develop atmosphere of the film and events in progress.
It’s hard to talk too much about the plotting of the film without giving away moments that help drive film but there are clues present that not all might be as it is initially presented with background clues and small things like how characters react to ringing phones. Things that take on different meanings when you look back on them.
Brolin’s Bryce is a unlikeable show-off who finds himself crumbling under pressure, it’s a character that’s written not to be liked so it’s interesting that towards the end Brolin does make you feel some sympathy for him.
Alessandro Nivola doesn’t quite do enough to really bring the better sides of his character Nick, which does work against the film as you end questioning one of the key relationships in the film.
Meanwhile Reese Witherspoon shows here why she went on to forge a strong career (1999 also saw her excel in Election following turns in Cruel Intentions and Pleasantville), taking the most difficult part in the film to make work and doing an excellent job. She conveys a lot without speaking especially moving into the final third of the film.
After a couple of turns in it’s opening third the film does settle down but again as it comes to close throws in some surprising shifts that lead to a bitter sweet conclusion that I suspect will divide people on how well it works.
Aside from the colour usage the direction feels a bit like a TV drama rather than a feel apart from a few nicely framed sequences and it does have a bit of a habit of having conversation start in once location to cut to them being finished in another.
However another strong aspect is the soundtrack, both the choice of songs and the original score which from the outset sets an unsettling tone whilst also at times bringing out the sense of loss and listlessness which is at the heart of the story.
So this is Best Laid Plans, it does feel of it’s time quite strongly these days (you can imagine one key element of the story being worked differently these days) but it’s worth watch. Try not to second guess it too much and hopefully it’s surprise. The sort of smaller scale thriller you don’t see reach the cinema often anymore.
It’s on Amazon Video, Microsoft Store and iTunes (I also have a DVD a can lend out) if you want to watch it and let me know what you thought in the comments. (Definitely one easing to discuss in depth once watched!)
