BEST LAID PLANS
US, 1999, 89 minutes, Colour.
Alessandro Nivola, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Brolin.
Directed by Mike Barker.
Best Laid Plans is a complex story. It begins with two friends in a diner, and the aftermath where the friend calls the other to say that the girl he took home is accusing him of rape and that he has tied her in the basement. The film then shifts to four months earlier when we discover that the young man and the young woman have become friends, shared many experiences. The young man has been caught in robbing a drug dealer and the dealer catching up with him and demanding a large amount of money. Together they plan the tricking of the university associate and pretending that he has raped the girl. The whole plot begins to unravel, especially when the young man pretends that he will kill the girl and put her in the boot of the car. However, the drug dealers then take the car. What emerges is that they too have done a confidence trick, expecting that he had money from his inheritance (which he did not). The resolution means that everyone can make a fresh start after acknowledging what they had done. "The best laid plans of mice and men gang all agley" (Robert Burns).
Alessandro Nivola is the young man (Face/Off, Love's Labours Lost) and Reece Witherspoon was emerging as a major star at the end of the 90s (Cruel Intentions, Sweet Home Alabama, the Legally Blonde films). Josh Brolin is the man who is the victim of their con trick. Direction is by Englishman Mike Barker, director of television series like Lorna Doone. His major British film was the story of Cromwell and Fairfax and Charles I, To Kill a King.
1. A film for young audiences? The characters, their situations, their behaviour? Amoral stances and decisions? Impact for older audiences?
2. The small-town setting, the diners, the wealthy homes, the poor homes, the recycling plant? An authentic atmosphere? Score?
3. The title, the plans, the ingenious confidence tricks? Their going awry? The moral of the story - from the amoral behaviour?
4. The opening: Nick and Bryce, at the diner, their past friendship at college, the talk, the jokes? Noticing Kathy? Bryce going home with her? His phone call in the middle of the night to Nick, imploring his help? His explaining that Kathy was claiming that he had raped her, his tying her up in the cellar? The emotional response to the situation, for each of the two men, for the girl? The irony of seeing that Nick and Kathy (Lissa) were in cahoots?
5. The shift of scene to four months earlier? Nick, his situation with his father, his father's death, his father's debts, the lawyer and their being no money? Barry thinking that there was money and his subsequent plans? Nick and killing the neighbour's cat, going to the vet, meeting Melissa? Getting a lift with her, the cemetery, the meals, discussions, their relationship? Their working together in recycling, the television commercial? His trying to make some money? Her ambitions in painting, in going to study? How well delineated the characters, their relationship, credible?
6. Barry and his plan, getting Nick to be the driver, meeting Jimmy? The deal? Getting away with the drugs? The irony of the aftermath? The drug lord picking him up, threatening him, demanding the money? The further irony of taking the car with Lissa in the boot? Nick and his realisation of what was happening, finding Barry in the next room (whose intelligence he had underestimated)? The resolution and their all admitting their confidence tricks? Going off in their own ways - and doing these things to make money, especially for their college tuition?
7. Bryce coming to town, minding the house, lavish, the historical documents? Nick and his decision to steal them? Trying to frame Bryce, thinking of a crime, the suggestion of rape? Their going through with it? The audience seeing the diner situation again, Nick telling Lissa that she need not go through with it? Her going through with it? Nick going downstairs, persuading Bryce that he should kill the girl, his hesitation, his agreement, his self-focus, wanting to teach, his reputation? Nick taking Lissa, in the boot of the car, the aftermath with the other group?
8. The next morning, Nick and Lissa, her hurt, the need for reconciliation? Bryce appearing in the diner? The revelation of the truth?
9. The immoral acts and crimes that the protagonists decided on, went through? Their second chance in finding out that all was not as it seemed? The irony of best laid plans going wrong?
