A Perfect World

A Perfect World (1993)

Director: Clint Eastwood

Cast: Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, Keith Szarabajka, T.J. Lowther, Bradley Whitford, Leo Burmester

Writers: John Lee Hancock

Synopsis:

Two criminals Butch (Costner) and Terry (Szarabajka) escape from prison, taking a young boy, Phillip (Lowther) as a hostage. As the pair race to cross state lines, they are pursued by venerable Texas Ranger Red Garnett (Eastwood) and criminologist Sally Gerber (Dern). As they travel together, Phillip begins to view Butch as a father figure after discovering that they hold a number of common bonds.

First Impressions:

I wasn't really aware of this movie when it hit theaters and didn't see it until it came out on video some months later. In fact, I don't even recall seeing many TV spots or trailers for the film, which is odd considering that the cast at the time was quite prestigious. I saw the film with a group of friends who rented it pretty much on a whim, not really knowing what to expect. I remember enjoying the movie a great deal. It's one film that I don't tend to watch on a regular basis and it's been quite some time since I've seen it, so I'm excited to view it with my critical eye.

Story/Direction: 

"No, I ain't a good man. I ain't the worst neither. Just a breed apart."

On the face of it, A Perfect World appears to be about a good old fashioned manhunt. A classic cat and mouse game set to the backdrop of 1960's  rural Texas. In actuality, I think this film is more about the father-son relationship. The focus of the film really is the relationship between Phillip and Butch, who bond over their shared trauma of having an absentee father. Butch also gives Phillip the opportunity to experience some things, such as trick or treating and riding a roller coaster, that are forbidden by his strict religious upbringing. The result is an oddly heartwarming story about a friendship formed during the most unusual circumstances.

Those circumstances are, of course, the ongoing police search for Butch after escaping prison and murdering a guard. Eastwood does a good job in flipping back and forth between those scenes between Phillip and Butch but also scenes of the cops trying to anticipate the escapee's next move. Toss in a few tense scenes and a couple of short but interesting car chases and you've got yourself a nice little modern western.

I should also give a shout out to Eastwood's direction. While he gained fame as an actor, I think Eastwood's true talent lies behind the camera. He seems to excel at an older style of movie making, using longish cuts and great use of close-ups. I've mentioned a number of times how much I love westerns and Clint Eastwood's wheelhouse is definitely the western.

Acting:

Overall, the acting is pretty good in the film, which is not surprising given the talent involved. I think Costner does a particularly good job in what I think was probably a pretty challenging role. Costner, especially during this period, tended to gravitate towards roles that took advantage of his considerable charm, such as the affable heroes in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves or Bull Durham. Butch, however, is a much darker character and while he is in actuality quite charming, he's also a deeply troubled individual sitting on a fair amount of rage. This is why I have to give Costner props because does such a good job in such a off-type role.

How can I do a Clint Eastwood film co-starring Clint Eastwood without talking about Clint Eastwood? Well, the answer is, I can't. As an actor, Clint isn't exactly blessed with a lot of range particularly as he's gotten older but what he does well is playing cranky old cops, cowboys or army vets that, to steal a line from a famous action movie, are "getting too old for this shit." Yeah, it's really just Clint playing Clint but he does it so damn well that you gotta give him credit.

Finally, I'd like to highlight Laura Dern's turn as the feisty criminologist, Sally Gerber. It's easy in movies like these, especially ones set in less enlightened times, to relegate female characters to simple love interests or as shrill foils for the likable and all-knowing male hero. This film turns that trope on it's head a bit as Sally, really is one of the few people involved in the investigation that actually has any clue what Butch is up to. Dern plays the role with no shortage of toughness and the character, who was initially brought into the investigation against Red's objections, eventually becomes the grizzled old Ranger's top adviser.

Visual/Special Effects:

There's not really any special effects to speak of in this film, there's not even any explosions. That being said, the film still looks great and the production designers did a good job in keeping true to the 1960s aesthetic. 

Score/Music:

 The music in this film is a combination of era-appropriate pop music and a traditional orchestral score. The era-specific music, heard mostly on car radios, lends an authenticity to the 60s feel of the film. Meanwhile, Lennie Neihaus' score is understated and fits the western theme very well. While I didn't catch myself humming any bits of the film's music in the shower or anything, it didn't take me out of the film and that's all you can ask for.

Action:

Just like special effects, there isn't a lot of action in this movie either, which is odd considering the story revolves around a jail break and subsequent manhunt. As previously mentioned, there are a couple of short car chases and a few other action set pieces but the movie doesn't dwell on those much. What the film does have is quite a few very tense moments that have the audience on the edge of their seats. I won't spoil any of them here (just in case somebody plans on seeing the film), which more than makes up for the lack of true action scenes. 

Final Verdict:

I'd have to say, after this most recent viewing, that my appreciation for this film has grown considerably. While it's not the most well known film in either Eastwood's or Costner's filmography, it certainly should be classified as a hidden gem and definitely worth a look.