I found it fascinating that the plot of Simple Men omitted most of the interesting story events that framed its dramatic conflict–the father escaping from prison, Bill’s big romance, the execution of Bill’s robbery, Dennis dropping out of/leaving school, etc.  Instead we get a couple of guys wandering around talking about these big events while undergoing the comparatively uninteresting search for their father.  That’s not to say there is necessarily a lack of plot events, but they are decidedly, forcefully low-key.  By omitting the larger framing events, the film seems to be emphasizing its own tagline, “there’s no such thing as adventure and romance, only trouble and desire.”