One False Move (1992)
86%RT Audience Score: 75%
Awards & Nominations: 8 wins & 8 nominations
One False Move makes nary a misstep as it unfurls a seedy caper with hard-hitting action and sly humor, marking an arresting debut for director Carl Franklin
One False Move is like bringing a shotgun to a knife fight, but in a good way. The film’s portrayal of life on both sides of the color line is convincing and refreshing. It’s a low-budget crime film that starts out as an exploitation piece, but then turns into something better. The writing, directing, and acting are all top-notch, making for a satisfying and gripping experience. Sure, there are some flaws, but they’re easily overlooked in the face of such a powerful and emotional story. Plus, who doesn’t love a good whippoorwill cry?
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
IRS Media, Columbia Pictures
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
Cotton Plant, Arkansas, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong violence and language, and for drug content
Year of Release
1992
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 47m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 1992 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 9, 1999
Genre(s)
Crime/Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Bill Paxton, Cynda Williams, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Beach, Jim Metzler, Earl Billings, directed by Carl Franklin, written by Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson, crime, drama, R rating, box office gross $44.5K, reviewed by Adam Mars-Jones, Glenn Heath Jr., Peter Rainer, Michael Sragow, Steven Rea, Dolby, Surround, Stereo, produced by IRS Media, Columbia Pictures
Worldwide gross: $1,543,112
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,303,071
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,290
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 360,204
US/Canada gross: $1,543,112
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,303,071
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,917
US/Canada opening weekend: $44,545
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $95,350
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,950
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Cynda Williams – Lila ‘Fantasia’ Walker
Billy Bob Thornton – Ray Malcolm
Michael Beach – Wade ‘Pluto’ Franklin
Jim Metzler – Lt. Dudley ‘Dud’ Cole
Earl Billings – Det. John McFeely
Director(s)
Carl Franklin
Writer(s)
Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson
Producer(s)
NA
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
8 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (53) | Top Critics (18) | Fresh (50) | Rotten (3)
Franklin seizes the opportunity to make a film that tightly binds up any political concerns it may have into the plot.
November 16, 2017
Adam Mars-Jones
Independent (UK)
TOP CRITIC
Clark Franklin’s One False Move brings a shotgun to a knife fight, and the results aren’t pretty.
May 6, 2017
Glenn Heath Jr.
Slant Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Franklin’s convincing portrait of life on both sides of the color line isn’t quite like anything I’ve come across before, making One False Move one very assured directorial move. We need more filmmakers like him.
May 6, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Michael Upchurch
Seattle Times
TOP CRITIC
For most of the way, One False Move is taut and sure-footed.
May 6, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/5
Peter Rainer
Los Angeles Times
TOP CRITIC
Skillfully performed and welcomely unpredictable, this low-budget crime film, made by actor turned director Carl Franklin, starts out as a herky-jerky exploitation piece, then turns into something better.
May 6, 2013
Michael Sragow
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Everything about this movie — the terse writing, the concise directing, the smart, unaffected acting — is eminently satisfying.
May 6, 2013 | Rating: 3.5/4
Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
TOP CRITIC
One False Move kicks off with a bleak, gripping opening stretch…
May 4, 2022 | Rating: 3/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
One False Move is a very satisfying discovery, for it is a film of vicious force and emotional depth that has no flaw worth mentioning.
January 18, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Jack Hawkins
HeyUGuys
The overall journey is slow and in great need of editing or reworking to create keener emphasis on the motives that lead to specific choices and confrontations.
September 21, 2020 | Rating: 5/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
Even worse than this annoying contrivance is Fantasia’s portentous speech about the cry of a whippoorwill. And, yes, we actually do hear a whippoorwill cry. Perhaps it’s a sign of the death of the hopes the promising film gives rise to, but then betrays.
April 23, 2018
Owen McNally
Hartford Courant
The film is not quite the masterpiece some have hailed, but it has a bluesy grip, subtle humour and more thought than the average thriller.
December 12, 2017
Quentin Curtis
Independent on Sunday
Franklin no alecciona, muestra, a modo de thriller, las terribles consecuencias de la incursin de la violencia en la diaria tranquilidad de un pueblo en el que nunca pasa nada.
March 3, 2017
Alberto Abuín
Espinof…
Plot
In Los Angeles, after a violent drug rip-off, the Los Angeles Police Department detectives find the identity of the trio – the sadistic I.Q. of 150 and college graduate Lenny “Pluto” Franklyn; his not so bright buddy in San Quentin Ray Malcolm; and his girlfriend Fantasia. Their further investigation indicates that the criminals are fleeing to Star City, Arkanas, and LAPD detective Dud Cole and his partner John McFeely contact the local Chief of Police Dale ‘Hurricane’ Dixon and they head to the little town. The yokel family man Dale, who is used to resolve domestic issues, is fascinated with the chance to participate of a manhunt and befriends the two detectives. But when he sees the picture of Fantasia, he recognizes her as Lila Walker and is haunted by his past, hiding a secret about Lila Walker.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy, funny, or odd comments were found on Fresh Kernels for One False Move.
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