Rolling Stone
"...[Witherspoon] is an actress who rivets attention and rewards it..." 09/30/1999 p.100Premiere
"...Hard to beat such a potent mixture of lurid detail, delicious over-plotting, and surprise twists..." -- 3 out of 5 Stars 03/01/2000 p.96 New York Times
"...[A] striking visual style..." 09/10/1999 p.E22 Box Office
"...This very stylish thriller pays homage to the classic film noir tradition and delivers it with enormous distinction..." 12/01/1999 p.61 USA Today
"...[The filmmakers] stylishly conspire to catch the audience off guard....Cool Nivola and warm Witherspoon make a combustible match..." 09/10/1999 p.12E Los Angeles Times
"...A sharp contemporary noir thriller....BEST LAID PLANS is a fine mood piece with lots of atmosphere and boasts terrific performances from its stars..." 09/10/1999 p.C12 ReelViews 8 of 10
"Mike Barker's Best Laid Plans is a slightly overplotted, but nevertheless entertaining thriller that works primarily because it concentrates on developing characters and building relationships instead of throwing a series of improbable twists at the audience. That isn't to say there aren't a few unexpected turns in the story, but Best Laid Plans would still be effective without them. This is also a rare thriller that doesn't soak the screen with blood, violence, sex, and profanity. There's a little of each, but nothing compared to what we have come to expect in the post-Tarantino era...These days, most thrillers are loud, brazen, and filled with MTV-style quick cuts. It's refreshing to come across a small film like Best Laid Plans that emphasizes story, characters, and acting over style and adrenaline (not that those qualities don't have their place). The dialogue snaps and crackles, but doesn't get carried away with its own cleverness..." - James Berardinelli
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