One False Move

A perfect Neo-Noir?

Sometimes a movie rises to the level of a really good crime novel: crisp, lean storytelling, a plot propelled by shocking bursts of violence, and characters that come alive within familiar types. One False Move is one such movie.

Released in 1992, One False Move opens with a brutal drug ripoff by a trio of low level criminals: coked up, greasy Ray (Billy Bob Thornton), cold, genius level psychopath Pluto (Michael Beach) and reluctant participant Fantasia (Cynda Williams). The trio leave behind six corpses, but thanks to Fantasia, a toddler survives. The audience is led to believe that Fantasia is a good person swept up in a bad situation, but that assumption later turns out to not be completely true.

The three go on the run, but the LAPD is quickly on their trail, due to their own carelessness. The police get a tip they may be headed to Fantasia's and Ray's home of Star City, Arkansas, a pair of detectives head there, hopefully to ambush them. They are greeted by local police Chief Dale "Hurricane" Dixon, a squirrelly, racist hick who is eager to make a big collar (played beautifully by the always terrific Bill Paxton).

The trio leave more bodies in their wake as they flee east, looking to unload the cocaine they boosted. This only amps up the pressure on them, so to try and divert their pursuers, Fantasia is sent ahead to Star City.

From there, dark secrets are unveiled and characters turn out not to be what we thought. The movie ends on an appropriately bloody exclamation point, driven forward by sharp writing, crisp direction, and solid performances. (The script was from Thornton and his sometimes writing partner Tom Epperson.)

One False Move was supposed to be released as a direct to video low budget offering, but word of mouth and some critical praise led to a theatrical release. One False Move is reminiscent of low budget gems from the golden age of Noir like Detour or Armored Car Robbery. Like One False Move, those classics succeeded by leaning on story and performance and fit comfortably within the confines of familiar crime movie tropes.

One False Move was directed by Carl Franklin, an actor who was tiring of trying to find substantial roles as a black man. The film features subtle moments of acknowledgment of racism, which serve to deepen the narrative and in the case of Paxton's character, provides valuable foreshadowing. Franklin also handles the violence masterfully, ensuring it comes across as both sickening and shocking.

Franklin also goes against Noir tradition and eschews style. The rural landscapes are nicely photographed, but there is no lingering over sunsets or tense searches through creepy folk horror settings. The focus is on the actors and story and when you have a cracking good screenplay and solid actors, that's plenty.

One False Move is great example of how closely many Neo-Noirs followed the formulas of their classic Noir ancestors. The character of Chief "Hurricane" Dixon is the heart of the movie, he's the classic small town character confronting darkness that invades his homey domain. But there is darkness within him as well, which is revealed by the outsiders. A great parallel Noir is the classic Out of the Past, where Robert Mitchum's character is trying to put his past behind him, running a gas station in a small town, but his past comes and finds him.

Another Noir convention used here is to shift attention away from the forces of law. The two LAPD detectives sent to Star City are well played by their actors, but they generally take a back seat to Dixon and the trio of criminals. This is not their story. Like any good Noir, the story is all about the darkness within.

Eventually, I will be putting together a list of best Neo-Noirs. Expect One False Move to be near the top of the list.