One False Move

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One False Move

R

Released May 8, 1992

1h 47m

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

58 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Following a series of drug deals and murders, three criminals -- Fantasia (Cynda Williams), Ray Malcolm (Billy Bob Thornton) and Pluto (Michael Beach) -- travel from Los Angeles to Houston, finally arriving in a small Arkansas town to go into hiding. Two detectives from the LAPD, who are already on the case, contact the town's sheriff, Dale Dixon (Bill Paxton), to alert him of the fugitives' presence in the area. Underestimating Dixon, the criminals have no idea what they are about to face.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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Adam Mars-Jones

Independent (UK)

Franklin seizes the opportunity to make a film that tightly binds up any political concerns it may have into the plot.

Nov 16, 2017

Full Review

Glenn Heath Jr.

Slant Magazine

Clark Franklin's One False Move brings a shotgun to a knife fight, and the results aren't pretty.

May 6, 2017

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Michael Upchurch

Seattle Times

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.

Rated: 3.5/4

May 6, 2013

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Director Cark Franklin... delivers richly-drawn characters and complex relationships under the lean, gritty crime thriller.

Dec 7, 2024

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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Combustible Celluloid

It's a film about storytelling, characters, and mood, and in its way, it goes on to say more about the tragedies and inequalities of life than an issue-driven film could.

Rated: 4/4

Aug 5, 2023

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Armond White

National Review

One False Move is inconsequential crime-movie trash.

Aug 4, 2023

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J H

It's one of the best crime dramas you've never heard of.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/18/25

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mark g

Perfection! Incredible screenplay, tremendous performances, so many memorable scenes.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/16/25

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Jeremy A

This was a great movie. Just heard about it. Always love Billy B. 4.5*

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

11/12/24

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S R

A seedy caper to be sure. It has some good bits, but takes it a bit over the top with the boys. The local vs out of town cops adds a bit to this, but I don't consider it a typical noir. I liked the Arkansas star city stuff. Saw on TCM.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/24

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Steve K

I thoroughly enjoy early Billy Bob Thornton movies. When he takes a character he is all in. It is 2024, and this is the 1st time I ever heard of, let alone watched. Nice seeing Bill Paxton again, another great actor gone too soon.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/27/24

Full Review

dlma1 M

Last night, I watched the Criterion 4k Blu-ray edition of "One False Move" (1992), an indie crime drama starring Billy Bob Thorton, Cynda Williams, and Michael Beach. Right from the beginning, these 3 commit horribly brutal murders in LA that shocked even the most jaded of viewers. Michael Beach, as the super intelligent but sadistic character "Pluto" will scare the hell out of you. In fact, in a discussion between director Carl Franklin and Billy Bob Thorton (who also co-wrote the screenplay), they noted that Beach had trouble finding non-criminal roles for a while because he was so effectively scary as a murderer! After the murders, the story will eventually shift to a small town in Arkansas, where the late, great Bil Paxton will take center stage as a small-town police chief. There will be some moments of humor and pathos in this part of the movie. I can't say more without ruining the plot. All I can say, is that this movie is very well done by all, and if you haven't seen it before, please watch it! If you have seen it before, it is still worth watching again. Finally, as I indicated, the violence may be too much for some viewers, so as they say, "viewer discretion is advised". 8/10. For collectors like me, I loved the movie so much I bought it on 4k Blu-ray.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

08/09/23

Full Review

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Carl Franklin

Director

Bill Paxton

Chief Dale 'Hurricane' Dixon

Cynda Williams

Lila 'Fantasia' Walker

Billy Bob Thornton

Ray Malcolm

Michael Beach

Wade 'Pluto' Franklin

Jim Metzler

Lt. Dudley 'Dud' Cole

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Synopsis

Following a series of drug deals and murders, three criminals -- Fantasia (Cynda Williams), Ray Malcolm (Billy Bob Thornton) and Pluto (Michael Beach) -- travel from Los Angeles to Houston, finally arriving in a small Arkansas town to go into hiding. Two detectives from the LAPD, who are already on the case, contact the town's sheriff, Dale Dixon (Bill Paxton), to alert him of the fugitives' presence in the area. Underestimating Dixon, the criminals have no idea what they are about to face.

Director: Carl Franklin
Producer: Jesse Beaton, Ben Myron
Screenwriter: Billy Bob Thornton, Tom Epperson
Distributor: Columbia Pictures, IRS Media
Production Co: IRS Media
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 8, 1992, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 27, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA): $44.5K
Runtime: 1h 47m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Surround, Stereo

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