On the plus side, this movie features some terrific performances, especially by Reese Witherspoon. (I'm a fan.) On the down side, while it tries to be a clever film-noir a la "Usual Suspects", its story doesn't bear scrutiny.
The first time I saw this, I was fooled by some of the tricks and surprises, but having just watched it a second time, it seems obvious and hardly believable. I found myself thinking, "Would anyone really do THAT?"
"The Usual Suspects", for all its faults, can be watched three or four times, and you still feel a frisson of surprise as the story turns itself inside out and back again. I sometimes think that there really is no point to it, but at least it's entertaining enough so that few viewers care. "Best Laid Plans", on the other hand, suffers from a lack of credibility that ultimately ruins it for a second viewing.
However, the two leads are likable and the production values are strong, so it's worth a spin, at least.
The first time I saw this, I was fooled by some of the tricks and surprises, but having just watched it a second time, it seems obvious and hardly believable. I found myself thinking, "Would anyone really do THAT?"
"The Usual Suspects", for all its faults, can be watched three or four times, and you still feel a frisson of surprise as the story turns itself inside out and back again. I sometimes think that there really is no point to it, but at least it's entertaining enough so that few viewers care. "Best Laid Plans", on the other hand, suffers from a lack of credibility that ultimately ruins it for a second viewing.
However, the two leads are likable and the production values are strong, so it's worth a spin, at least.