"Who's created this problem? Someone is gonna get hurt, Bryce. It's just a question of who."There's nothing really special about Mike Barker's Best Laid Plans, but somehow it manages to remain slightly interesting during its short runtime. There's something about 90's neo-noir thrillers that manage to captivate me and although this film isn't up to par with some of the better movies in the genre (the best example that comes to mind is the Wachowski's Bound), I still appreciated it for its nostalgic value and some decent performances. Alessandro Nivola delivers a solid lead performance and I don't think he's ever been better than he was here. It's a shame he didn't get more opportunities to star in better films and has only gotten mostly supporting roles. Reese Witherspoon wasn't that big of a star as she is now, but you could tell by her work here that she would get places. It would be nice to see her in more roles for thrillers like this one. The greatest flaw of the film is that it relies on one too many twists and once you get the feel of what the screenwriter was trying to do you can basically guess what the next twist is going to be. Ted Griffin's script still managed to entertain although it's not a story that will stick with you after you watch the film. It keeps you engaged throughout most of the first half of the film, but then it begins to unravel up to the climactic scene, that's just way too silly even for the 90's.The film opens with a diner scene between two old college friends that are getting together for the first time in years. Bryce (Josh Brolin) is in town for a few days house sitting for a wealthy family, and so he has decided to phone Nick (Alessandro Nivola) to meet up with him. While the two are having a couple of drinks together a beautiful girl named Kathy (Resse Witherspoon) walks in. Nick receives a call from his girlfriend and says he's got to go, but Bryce stays and ends up taking Kathy home with him. Later that night Nick receives a desperate call from Bryce asking him to come over to his house. He says Kathy has threatened to go to the police claiming he has raped her. He has absolutely no recollection of what happened, but after going through her purse he discovers she's only 16. Bryce didn't know what to do so he handcuffed Kathy in the basement and is hoping Nick can help him. He wants to talk to her alone so Bryce lets him and that is where we discover that everything was a setup and that Kathy's name is actually Lissa and she's Nick's girlfriend. The film then shifts four months into the past where we are introduced to how Nick and Lissa met and the predicament they get into after making a deal with some small time local criminals (played by Terrence Howard) which gets them in even more trouble as the twists begin to pile along the way. For all the twists and turns that Barker takes his audience through, the film ends up disappointing by trying to wrap things up a bit too nicely at the end. You get so used to the dark atmosphere and the betrayals that it becomes pretty evident what direction the movie is going to take at the end. I still enjoyed the ride although I wasn't pleased with the destination, but the performances are engaging enough to still make the experience worth the while. There's just something about the 90's neo-thriller vibe that always seems to engage me. There's not much more to add about this film, give it a try if you're a fan of the cast or the genre, otherwise skip it because it's pretty forgettable. http://estebueno10.blogspot.com/

Lissa (Reese Witherspoon) accuses Bryce (Josh Brolin) of rape, and then the film unfolds in interesting ways as we see how Nick (Alessandro Nivola) plays a part in her past and their future.The film relies on the universal desires for love, sex and money. Bryce just wants to get laid, Lissa pretty much just wants love but Nick wants both love and money. His plans to get that money get in the way of other dead-end criminals also wanting money. As the film's title suggests, no plans go quite as according to plan. The various twists in getting the plans foiled weren't particularly ingenious but they were well done. I never quite knew what was coming next, but I always wanted to find out. A crime drama thriller with some crimes but minimal violence, and although it seems a bit slow there is enough intrigue to keep the suspense level, or at least interest, up."Best Laid Plans" stars three great actors at the beginning of their careers, and each proved why they have become the respected-stars they are. I recommend it to fans of crime drama thrillers and to fans of Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, or Alessandro Nivola.

Screenwriter Ted Griffin ('Ocean's Eleven', 'Matchstick Men', 'Rumor Has It', etc) has provided a story for this little film that is successful on many levels: it is a suspenseful mystery, an intelligent look at the Now Generation's unstable approach to life as hopefully handed to them on their parents' goodwill, a mind twister full of surprises, and most of all a metaphor for where we now stand as a consumer world contained in disposable vials. Working with director Mike Barker's keen sense of timing and comic relief, a fine young cast of notable actors drives this story of desperate turns of fate to an unsuspected ending. The trip is worth your attention.The nowhere/somewhere town setting is Tropico, a dusty boring little place whose reason for existing is a massive recycling plant for discarded containers - just the right setting for a story about little town people who have discarded their dreams. Nick (Alessandro Nivola) works in the recycling plant, basing his hopes for something better on the death of his father and the Will through which he plans to gain a comfortable inheritance. But the Life Insurance policy is negated after an autopsy report reveals a 'preexisting condition' and the remaining assets of his father are owed to the IRS. Nick is broke and in his low state of esteem agrees to be a driver for a drug heist to make enough money to leave boring Tropico. The heist is a bust and Nick is threatened by the owner of the drug stash that he must come up with a large sum of money or else. Nick turns to his girlfriend Lissa (Reese Witherspoon) who also wants to leave Tropico and reluctantly agrees to a complex scam against Nick's old college chum Bryce (Josh Brolin). When that scam falls apart there are even more surprises that keep the story bubbling until the unsuspected conclusion.Nivola is outstanding in this tricky role and Witherspoon and Brolin are convincing. Of note there is a very brief role for newcomer Terrence Howard - the film was made in 1999 before some of these actors gained notoriety in the Oscars. Though not entirely without flaws, this fascinating study of recyclable people enmeshed in their own wayward schemes is an entertaining and stimulating tour de force for all involved. It is well worth a second look! Grady Harp

SPOILERS THROUGH:I didn't think this was great, certainly not a movie along the lines of a "Usual Suspects" or "House Of Games" which are two of my favorites. But this movie is interesting and keeps one's attention. As long as one doesn't expect a masterpiece it maybe worth seeing.One positive is that the movie actually manages to surprise. In a movie world of predictability, this one is rather unpredictable. I didn't know what was coming moment to moment and the end was a genuine surprise. I thought, at times, the movie was going to go in completely different directions. So the fact that the movie pulls off the "twist and turn" aspect is good and these twists are actually rather original as well.And the performances were good particularly Witherspoon. The shadowy imagery fit well and for film noir purists this isn't a bad choice. It sure keeps one's interest despite, at times being a little draggy.But overall it still lacks the impact of the above mentioned movies. And the twists, while original, aren't really all that fascinating particularly the last one which lacks believability. The ending makes the movie almost a romance but for some reason it kind of fits.All in all this is a movie I'm ambivalent about. I would not recommend it as a must see but it's not bad either and is somewhat absorbing. I'd say it's around a 6.5 of 10 and is neither bad nor excellent. It maybe good to view as a late night and as long as one's not expecting a perfect 10 , this can make an interesting movie choice.