A Perfect World
1993 Directed by Clint Eastwood
Synopsis
A kidnapped boy strikes up a friendship with his captor: an escaped convict on the run from the law, headed by an honorable U.S. Marshal.
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A Perfect World was a commercial success, but critically it is considered one of Clint Eastwood's underrated greats. It does have some tonal issues, never really being able to balance its generally good-nature with its more unsettling subtexts. What it flourishes from is a clean, uncomplicated narrative that knows where it is going and reaches its destination cleanly. The ultimate conclusion is far from surprising, but the journey of getting there is both heartwarming and provoking, a potent mix of feelings. Although, it doesn't truly come to its own until the final leg where all the bottled up emotions and gradually developed themes come to a head.
The plot is simple: an escaped convict takes a young boy hostage and…
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The scenes between Costner and the kid are some of the best Eastwood has ever directed. Heartfelt and with a depth of character and emotion not often seen. Unfortunately, there is a subplot which they keep cutting to, concerning Eastwood and his gang going after Costner. Eastwood is of course great and if it had been only him it would have been fine. It's the rest of his gang that is a little too comical for my taste and they kill some of the emotion towards the end.
The music is great and also, this might be Costner's best performance. A subtle, nuanced and unapologetic portrayal of a bad man making the right decision at times.
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A perfect world is not a perfect film. However, it does boast a good story and a wonderful performance from Kevin Costner. I was very skeptical during the first half of the movie. His character seemed so random. He was a perfectly nice guy around Philip (a boy he kidnaps) however he would do things like shoot randomly at shopkeepers. The second half of the movie does a MUCH better job providing some sense to Costner's personality. They give him a backstory that wraps it all up very neat. The boy in this movie, played by T.J. Lowther does a great job. I am one to normally become enraged at children in movies but Philip manages to stay real and…
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I liked this movie, which ostensibly is just another "couple on the run" film (albeit with a "father" and "son" instead of runaway lovers), but turns out to be a more interesting look at fatherhood and violence. Kevin Costner plays Butch, an escaped prisoner who kidnaps an 8-year-old boy named Philip on his way to Alaska. He becomes a parental figure to the young child and tries to give him the father he's never had in his life. Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern & Co. give chase as cops on the trail of the fugitive. From the opening moments, it's shot with a sort of grandeur that's very gripping. I loved all the moving cameras and pastoral Texas scenery.
It's a movie…
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Call me crazy, but today this is my favorite Eastwood. I had this whole thing about history and blah blah blah ready to go, but fuck it. I just wanna keep feelin' all them feelings right now.
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I didn't care much for the Clint Eastwood cop scenes but I was moved whenever Butch and Philip were on screen. Lovely film.
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I hadn't seen this film since around the time of its release so it was basically like a totally new film to me. It's a damn fine movie. Costner gives his best performance, in my opinion, and Eastwood shows a deft touch behind the camera in balancing the lighter side of the story with the frequent intense moments.
My only gripes are that the film feels slightly overlong, and certain parts of the soundtrack (basically anything involving the harmonica) are absolutely terrible and make the dramatic scenes feel like something from a TV movie on occasion.
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A lovely, much-underrated film. Costner is excellent, coming out with a touching performance under Eastwood's careful direction and alongside the superb TJ Lowther in a great child performance. Eastwood limits his acting to a non-flashy role as a gruff sheriff. The only real chink the whole tension-among-the-lawmen subplot, which is by the numbers and features Laura Dern at her most annoying. Otherwise this slow, gentle film is a pleasant surprise.
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I liked this movie, which ostensibly is just another "couple on the run" film (albeit with a "father" and "son" instead of runaway lovers), but turns out to be a more interesting look at fatherhood and violence. Kevin Costner plays Butch, an escaped prisoner who kidnaps an 8-year-old boy named Philip on his way to Alaska. He becomes a parental figure to the young child and tries to give him the father he's never had in his life. Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern & Co. give chase as cops on the trail of the fugitive. From the opening moments, it's shot with a sort of grandeur that's very gripping. I loved all the moving cameras and pastoral Texas scenery.
It's a movie…
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Call me crazy, but today this is my favorite Eastwood. I had this whole thing about history and blah blah blah ready to go, but fuck it. I just wanna keep feelin' all them feelings right now.
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This is a strangely touching movie. All of the characters have moral ambiguity. It's good.
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A perfect world is not a perfect film. However, it does boast a good story and a wonderful performance from Kevin Costner. I was very skeptical during the first half of the movie. His character seemed so random. He was a perfectly nice guy around Philip (a boy he kidnaps) however he would do things like shoot randomly at shopkeepers. The second half of the movie does a MUCH better job providing some sense to Costner's personality. They give him a backstory that wraps it all up very neat. The boy in this movie, played by T.J. Lowther does a great job. I am one to normally become enraged at children in movies but Philip manages to stay real and…
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I didn't care much for the Clint Eastwood cop scenes but I was moved whenever Butch and Philip were on screen. Lovely film.
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Not without plenty of flaws (almost entirely confined to the law enforcement storyline) but the relationship between Butch and Buzz is one of my favorites in all of cinema and Eastwood's eye for filming rural landscapes is exquisite. <3
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The scenes between Costner and the kid are some of the best Eastwood has ever directed. Heartfelt and with a depth of character and emotion not often seen. Unfortunately, there is a subplot which they keep cutting to, concerning Eastwood and his gang going after Costner. Eastwood is of course great and if it had been only him it would have been fine. It's the rest of his gang that is a little too comical for my taste and they kill some of the emotion towards the end.
The music is great and also, this might be Costner's best performance. A subtle, nuanced and unapologetic portrayal of a bad man making the right decision at times.