Strictly average movie

Good concept, poorly executed.

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

Perfect example of the small town sheriff who's looked upon as a dummy & underestimated BY his upper chain to pull a big league move at what he does.. yet doesn't end nor start there when coming to Paxton's character in this flick, i seriously didn't think he could pull off a part like this, i took him as more as high profile cheese sci-f / action, yet comedy being his bread & butter!! his best performance to date imo..in the end is a MUST watch, billy bob, what can i say about the man, so talented when coming to these type movies, Cynda (omg she was amazing in this movie) shes a gorgeous who hit the nail on the head to soul the real when coming to her part.. to even beach himself.. just go watch it if a grounded mofo..its so killer !!

Dear Billy Bob Thorton, how are things? How's Bad Santa 2 going? Its sad Terry Zwigoff is not a part of the project. I'm a big fan of yours.I watched One False Move. It is so overrated. I know you wrote it.It was a pretty brave film. You wrote a film with a lot of inter-racial relationships. Some of it was really interesting. I don't think I understood all of it, I am not an American.The film was pretty dull despite the premise with so many interesting relationships. It felt like you were reigning yourself in a little bit.Anyway, Cynda Williams was awesome. She is such a great femme fatale.But I don't really understand the structure of this film. Why did you write it this way? You should have taken a leaf out of some of the thrillers from the 50s and the 60s. The film was also quite long.I liked the whole vibe of this film - the small town and the ridiculous red neck sheriff.Some people on the board seem to love this film.I do not.Best Regards, Pimpin.(5.5/10)

Some films just slip, for whatever reason, below the radar. We get any amount of top-budget, CGI-heavy dreck which go on to catch the headline - albeit for a week or two - but other films, such as One False Move, which proudly stands head and shoulders over its rivals is barely noticed.The story is simple and effectively told. There are no false histrionics, there is no grandstanding, the violence and horrific murders are not celebrated in that god-awful balletic way favoured by Tarantino and his ilk, and the whole thing is presented to the viewer on the assumption that the viewer has a brain.Yet despite its undoubted quality One False Move slips past and is 'just another film'. It's strength is that it is character-driven and people talk and behave like real people. It manages to convey the complexity of people: one of a trio who ripped off a drug dealer and six people are horrifically killed in the whole episode spares a young lad and saves him from certain death at the hands of her more sadistic accomplices, then goes on to kill a state trooper in cold blood.A small-town sheriff who yearns for greater things is mortified when he overhears the two big-shot cops from LA laughing at him behind his back. It spurs him on to try to be a hero and apprehend two of the gang all on his own. He does so, but at the cost of three lives and gets badly injured himself. All in all he might have got the men, but it is all just a bloody mess. The performances are all good ones, and the direction, camera-work and editing all add the sense of dread and help heighten the tension.The director is Carl Franklin who made another great but overlooked film in Devil In A Blue Dress. If you are able to catch this - though I don't know how because it doesn't seem to be shown on TV - do so. You won't regret spending time on what is something of a gem.

One False Move was simply a beautiful, and little seen, crime film. Three drug dealers on the run are suspected to be heading towards Arkansas. Here, a couple of big city cops meet up with the local sheriff. Paxton is fantastic in this role. He's not very worldly, has never had to use his gun, and is just a little too excited about the approaching threat. His enthusiasm comes off as naivety, and he is laughed off by the LAPD. The film does well to follow the cops and the killers. We see a bizarre triangle between the murderers. Thornton is filled with anger and out of control, whereas his partner is cool and calm but ultimately terrifying. The pacing of this film was done very well, offering moments of tension in a film that has a lot of waiting around. It also harvests a lot of emotion and depth for its characters. Paxton comes off the best as a giddy little boy waiting for Christmas. There are some great moments, such as his reaction to hearing the teasing from the city cops. Another scene sees him use the "n" word in front of the black cop. His facial expression is priceless, as he realises what he has said. Eventually Paxton takes responsibility, and he shows that his enthusiasm masks his competence. A big fish in a small pond. One False Move is very dark, but has a lot going for it. Most of all the tender ending.