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One False Move

Play trailer Poster for One False Move R Released May 8, 1992 1h 47m Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 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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One False Move

One False Move

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Full Review 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 Full Review Sean Axmaker Stream on Demand Director Cark Franklin... delivers richly-drawn characters and complex relationships under the lean, gritty crime thriller. Dec 7, 2024 Full Review 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 Full Review Armond White National Review One False Move is inconsequential crime-movie trash. Aug 4, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Johnathon W Crisply made crime thriller that ranks as the best work by all involved. Bill Paxton gives one of his best lead performances as Sheriff Hurricane, small town cop with a dark secret. He is matched by the rest of the cast, particularly Billy Bob Thorton's manic ray and Michael Beach's cold-blooded Pluto. Behind the camera, director Carl Franklin crafts a tense drama from Thorton and Tom Epperson's script, keeping the violence sparse but brutal when it happens. Best of all, it comes in at a tight hour and 45 minutes. A true classic in the crime genre. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/20/25 Full Review J H It's one of the best crime dramas you've never heard of. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/18/25 Full Review mark g Perfection! Incredible screenplay, tremendous performances, so many memorable scenes. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/16/25 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
One False Move

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Movie Info

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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