A Perfect World

( 4 )

Overview

Clint Eastwood, hot off of his Academy Award win for Unforgiven, directed this small character study, appearing in the guise of a cops-and-robbers action picture. The film takes place during the fall of 1963. Eight-year old Phillip Perry T.J. Lowther, the son of a devout Jehovah's Witness mother, is staying home while all the other children are out trick-or-treating. But then prison escapee Butch Haynes Kevin Costner appears in his kitchen. Needing a hostage to aid him in his escape from jail, he grabs Phillip. ...
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Overview

Clint Eastwood, hot off of his Academy Award win for Unforgiven, directed this small character study, appearing in the guise of a cops-and-robbers action picture. The film takes place during the fall of 1963. Eight-year old Phillip Perry T.J. Lowther, the son of a devout Jehovah's Witness mother, is staying home while all the other children are out trick-or-treating. But then prison escapee Butch Haynes Kevin Costner appears in his kitchen. Needing a hostage to aid him in his escape from jail, he grabs Phillip. Phillip curiously looks up to Butch and willingly accompanies him. Butch gets rid of his fellow escapee after he tries to molest the child, and Butch and Phillip take to the Texas highway, on the run from the cops. The cop in pursuit in this instance is Police Chief Red Garnett Clint Eastwood, riding in his sleek Populux Airglide trailer -- his "mobile command headquarters." On the road with Garnett is Sally Gerber Laura Dern, a pushy pre-feminist criminologist, along with a creepy federal agent who is an expert sharpshooter. Butch is not particularly anxious to make it to the Texas borderline, and neither is Garnett in any particular hurry to catch Butch. As Butch and Phillip form a father-son attachment, the paths of Butch and Garnett gradually come together, in time for a final confrontation, after which Garnett confesses, "I don't know nothing. I don't know a damn thing."
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Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Josh Ralske
Clint Eastwood followed up his Oscar-winning, critically acclaimed Unforgiven, the Western to end all Westerns, with another impressive, but grossly underappreciated work, A Perfect World. The film is portentously set in Texas in 1963, and it offers a compelling examination of the nature of American violence. Some Eastwood fans were probably put off by the fact that it's Kevin Costner who plays the traditional Eastwood part, the outlaw with a code of honor, while the man himself is relegated to playing, very effectively, the inept authority figure. In fact, by directing White Hunter, Black Heart, Unforgiven, and this film in succession, Eastwood demonstrated his willingness to critique his own status as an American icon, to an extent that few actors in such a position ever had. These films feature some of his best work as an actor, and there's not an unconditionally heroic figure in any of them. A Perfect World is probably the most moving of the three films, with the wonderful complexity of Kevin Costner's performance as the well-meaning but emotionally combustible Butch Haynes, playing off a touchingly naturalistic performance by child-actor T.J. Lowther as his entranced hostage, Phillip Perry. The film compellingly contrasts the uncontrollable violence of Haynes -- which arises from his own history of abuse and from his passionate beliefs -- with the calculated, state-sanctioned violence of the FBI sharpshooter, Bobby Lee (Bradley Whitford), whose cold competence in the name of ideology tellingly alludes to the contemporaneous assassination of President John F. Kennedy. With its well-drawn characters, its action and humor, and its moral complexity, A Perfect World is one of Eastwood's strongest films, as both an actor and a director.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 6/5/2012
  • UPC: 883929237517
  • Original Release: 1993

    • Rating:

  • Source: Warner Home Video
  • Language: English
  • Time: 2:18:00
  • Format: Blu-ray
  • Sales rank: 26,955

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Kevin Costner Butch Haynes
Clint Eastwood Red Garnett
Laura Dern Sally Gerber
T.J. Lowther Phillip Perry
Keith Szarabajka Terry Pugh
Leo Burmeister Tom Adler
Paul Hewitt Dick Suttle
Bradley Whitford Bobby Lee
Ray McKinnon Bradley
Jennifer Griffin Gladys Perry
Wayne de Hart Mack
Linda Hart Eileen
Margaret Bowman Trick 'r Treat Lady
Rodger Boyce Mr. Willits
Connie Cooper Bob's Wife
Darryl Cox Mr. Hughes
Cameron Finley Bob Fielder, Jr.
Lucy Lee Flippin Lucy
Gabriel Folse Officer Terrance
Tony Frank Arch Andrews
James W. Gavin Helicopter Pilot
Ed Geldart Fred Cummings
Gil Glasgow Officer Pete
Vernon Grote Prison Guard
Nik Hagler General Store Manager
George Haynes Farmer
Craig Hosking Helicopter Pilot
Phyllis Huffman
John Hussey Governor's Aide
John M. Jackson Bob Fielder
James Jeter Oldtimer
Dennis Letts Governor
Marietta Marich Farmer's Wife
Mary Alice Lottie
Bruce McGill Paul Sanders
Gary Moody Local Sheriff
George Orrison Officer Orrison
Marco Perella Road Block Officer
Elizabeth Ruscio Paula
Brandon Smith Officer Jones
Mark Voges Larry
Woody Watson Lt. Hendricks
Kevin Jamal Woods Cleveland
Technical Credits
Clint Eastwood Director, Score Composer, Producer
Daniel W. Barringer Stunts
Henry Bumstead Production Designer
Joel Cox Editor
Andy Gill Stunts
Antoinette Gordon Set Decoration/Design
Jack N. Green Cinematographer
John Lee Hancock Screenwriter
Orwin Harvey Stunts
John Alan Hicks Set Decoration/Design
Alan Hicks Set Decoration/Design
Phyllis Huffman Casting
L. Dean Jones Jr. Asst. Director
Liz Keigley Casting
Mark Johnson Producer
James McCoy Makeup
Lennie Niehaus Score Composer
Erica Phillips Costumes/Costume Designer
Don Reddy Camera Operator
John Robotham Stunts
Spike Silver Stunts
Brian Smrz Stunts
Ronald Spang Editor
Stephen St. John Camera Operator
Jack Gammon Taylor Jr. Art Director
David Valdes Producer, Production Manager
Charlie Vassar Set Decoration/Design
Jeff Wexler Musical Direction/Supervision
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(4)

4 Star

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3 Star

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Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Must-See, One of the most under-rated hollywood films

    As mentioned in the previous reviews, it is a great story, a story about a friendship and a bond that are developed through out the movie between two strangers a ruthless killer and a boy who is kidnapped by the killer. The duo's road trip / run-from-the-law across texas is a journey filled with great moments(not to give away) that really keep the audience attached to the story until the very end. The film is certainly not a mere child-kidnapper-run-from-the-law flick. It deals with the issue of child abuse which is basically how the the story begins. How the director uses it as the central structure of the movie is successful. The relationship between the boy and the killer is really the charm of the movie that shows the gray areas of good and bad and right and wrong. It's also funny and heartwarming. Great cast aside from Costner and Eastwood, T.J. Lowther, the boy, and Laura Dern are great as well. Overall, sad but still very satisfying after watching, which is why I love this film.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    The Perfect Movie

    A well written movie with the best ending Ive ever seen.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Incredible!

    I agreed with the other reviewer! It is a definetly MUST SEE movie. It offers the opportunity to see the inside of the human being. The story, actors and director are GREAT! The performances are overwhelming and the history is very shocking.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    A MUST SEE!!!!

    This is a great movie. The story is one that will keep you interested throughout the entire movie and the musical score fits perfectly. Kevin Costner gives an excellent perfomance; and while Clint Eastwood's acting is good, you can't help but focus on his directorial skills. This is definitly not a movie to miss.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.
Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews