A Perfect World (1993)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writer (WGA):

John Lee Hancock (written by)

Release Date:

24 November 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Texas | Prison | Kidnapping | Texas Ranger | Criminologist

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Robert 'Butch' Haynes
Clint Eastwood	...	Chief Red Garnett
Laura Dern	...	Sally Gerber
T.J. Lowther	...	Phillip 'Buzz' Perry
Keith Szarabajka	...	Terry Pugh
Leo Burmester	...	Tom Adler
Paul Hewitt	...	Dick Suttle
Bradley Whitford	...	Bobby Lee
Ray McKinnon	...	Bradley
Jennifer Griffin	...	Gladys Perry
Leslie Flowers	...	Naomi Perry
Belinda Flowers	...	Ruth Perry
Darryl Cox	...	Mr. Hughes
Jay Whiteaker	...	Superman
Taylor Suzanna McBride	...	Tinkerbell

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for violence, sexual content and language. (on appeal)

Runtime:

138 min | Germany:125 min (TV version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Iceland:16 | Argentina:13 | Germany:12 | South Korea:12 | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | Philippines:R-18 | USA:R (original rating) | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:15 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (re-rating on appeal) | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Austin, Texas, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Clint Eastwood was not originally going to act in the movie - Kevin Costner talked him into it.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Dick Suttle is explaining the features of the trailer, a crew member is reflected in the windshield.

Quotes:

Robert 'Butch' Haynes: You know, Phillip, you have a goddamned red, white and blue American right to eat cotton candy and ride roller coasters.

Movie Connections:

References Bull Durham (1988)

Soundtrack:

Catch a Falling Star

A Perfect World Is Perfectly Watchable!

Some aspects of this film work better than others, but overall A PERFECT WORLD is a highly watchable film. Kevin Costner delivers a fine performance as escaped convict Butch Haynes. The film primarily focuses on the relationship between Haynes and an innocent 8 year old boy named Phillip whom he kidnaps and befriends (well played by TJ Lowther). Haynes has killed two people thus far and gives the impression of a being a loose cannon, but Eastwood evokes sympathy for the character as the audience learns about Haynes troubled childhood (raised without a father by a prostitute mother - killed a man by the age of 8) and observe his genuine care and concern for the boy. Their relationship is reminiscent of Allan Ladd and the young boy in SHANE. As he slowly feeds us more information about Hayne's history, and lets the audience wrestle with its ambivalent feelings towards Costner's character, Eastwood keeps the film moving with lots of close brushes with the law, car chases and shoot'em ups.

Where the film doesn't work quite is when Eastwood himself is in front of the camera, playing a minor role - Chief Red Garnett - a Texas Ranger who's in charge of Haynes' capture. The primary function of his character, and Laura Dern's (who plays Sally Gerber - a criminologist the Governor forces upon the Chief) in the script is to supply further information about Haynes' past. Unfortunately, Eastwood tries to flesh out the relationship between these characters through antagonistic chauvinist attitudes towards Gerber and creating a power struggle between the two which (big surprise!) over the course of the film, gradually leads to a mutual respect between them! Granted Eastwood and Dern have marquee value - especially Eastwood, are fine in their roles, and, of course, chauvinism was alive and well in 1960's Texas, but I mostly found these minor subplots annoying and unnecessary. It's the scenes and issues focusing on Costner's character that are the life blood of this picture. This criticism aside, Eastwood does a solid job directing, weaving action, suspense and thought provoking human drama into a well knit weave and Costner delivers one of the best acting performances of his career.

7 1/2 out of 10