Year: 2020
Runtime: 117 min
Language: English
Kyle and Swin lead a deceptive life in the Arkansas backwoods, working as park rangers while secretly transporting drugs for the mysterious Frog. Their precarious balance is disrupted when Swin falls for a local woman, drawing Kyle into questioning their morally questionable actions. As tensions rise and Frog's agents turn on them, the three find themselves caught in a dangerous game, struggling to survive against a ruthless criminal organization determined to eliminate them.
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Read the complete plot breakdown of Arkansas (2020), including all key story events, major twists, and the ending explained in detail. Discover what really happened—and what it all means.
Kyle Ribb, portrayed by Liam Hemsworth, is a drug dealer working for the elusive figure known as Frog. His life takes a dramatic turn when he is “promoted” to Arkansas, teaming up with the overly confident and chatty Swin Horn. While transporting a load to Corpus Christi, their journey is interrupted when the flatbed tarp fails, forcing them to stop. They encounter a ranger, Bright, who offers assistance. However, when Kyle points a gun at him, Bright reveals his ties to Frog and informs them that they will be assigned as park employees, but their primary task will remain drug delivery to clients in their free time.
Living in designated trailers and expected to maintain a low profile, Kyle and Swin begin their operations, trafficking drugs across the southern states. Amidst this, Swin meets Johnna and they begin a relationship, despite Bright’s explicit warning against dating locals. During a rainy night, Kyle, Swin, and Bright share drinks as they await new orders, including one from a woman referred to as Her who resides on a nearby houseboat. Their next destination is Castor, Louisiana, where they must deliver their product and collect payment. Tensions rise when Nick, the buyer’s grandson, confronts them, leading to a violent encounter where both he and Bright end up dead.
Upon discovering the aftermath of this chaos, Kyle murders the buyer and conceals Bright’s body in the park. Swin proposes fleeing, but Kyle insists that such an act would lead to their demise. They attempt to reach out to Colin, a middleman, seeking guidance. Flashback to 1985: Frog, running a pawnshop nearby, gets into the drug trade after dealing with a middleman and eventually becomes involved with the sinister buyer, Almond. After eliminating the middleman, he learns the trade game and takes over, making significant profits as the drug operation expands.
Back in present day at the park, Kyle and Swin stumble upon a cache of cash near Bright’s home, but choose not to take it. They receive another delivery request from Her, leading to an encounter with Barry, a friend of Bright’s. Kyle kills Barry after he becomes suspicious and buries him as well. Meanwhile, Johnna reveals her pregnancy to Kyle, who confides in her about their risky situation.
In the past, after acquiring the wholesaler business, Frog recruits new associates, the twins Tim and Thomas, instilling similar rules that he once learned. Years later, Frog prepares the twins to take over the drug business as he steps back to open a pawnshop. Returning to the present, Kyle and Swin find themselves at the mercy of Frog, who is intent on exacting revenge for their actions. Following a botched delivery in Hot Springs, where they are confronted by the twins, a physical confrontation ensues, leading Kyle to escape, delivering his findings to Johnna and asserting Swin’s bravery.
Frog tries to recline back into business despite his losses, but Thomas’s thirst for vengeance leads him to liquidate Frog’s assets. The chaos escalates when Thomas seeks retribution on Kyle, culminating in a final confrontation where Kyle, wounded but determined, confronts Frog, ultimately taking control of his drug operations and reaffirming his commitment to the life of a dealer.
Last Updated: October 27, 2024 at 23:14
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