Wolff rating: NOT BAD
Plot summary: Three country men find a satchel full of cash and have to decide what to do with it.
Biased, pithy comments: Two parts fable, one part meditation, one part tragedy. With stiff writing and occasionally stiff acting, the action is sometimes slow, and there is almost nothing likeable about any of these characters. I know, that's the point, but it doesn't mean I wasn't expecting perhaps a little more flash, something redeemable in someone. The movie gives pause for thought, though, especially in some wonderfully allegorical scenes---plotting betrayal while nursing an innocent newborn, the crows circling around these foolish men, and the glow in Fonda's eyes when she first sees the money and her tune changes entirely. Alas, the movie doesn't quite live up to its promise, being perhaps too similar to Fargo, Ulee's Gold, Jackie Brown, and a hundred other movies about people who find satchels full of cash.
Other Notes: Reviews are a little split--most people agree that the film is quite good but disagree about how well the characters fit together. It's actually a sign of quality that the characters are suddenly the most interesting piece of the story, but unfortunately they sometimes waver slightly as they stride from mistake to mistake.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda, Gary Cole, Brent Briscoe, Chelcie Ross.
Directed by: Sam Raimi