Review of A Perfect World (1993) by Michael S — 30 Dec 2010

Made in 1993, Eastwood directed an almost perfect movie. I saw it on its original release and was pleased to catch it again today on Movieplex. Kevin Costner's understated portrayal of a man capable of violence is one of his best performances.

Costner's "Butch" has had a hard childhood. He's a criminal and capable of violence, but he is perversely likable. Butch is a an adult survivor of child abuse. He is the epitome of the adult a child becomes when there is no one there to provide the protection to break the cycle of child abuse that repeats itself from generation to generation.

But, in Butch, we see the opportunity for redemption in his relationship with a young boy named Phillip who starts out as Butch's and his accomplice's kidnapped hostage. The scenes between Butch and Phillip are the best moments on the screen.

This could have been a classic cat and mouse chase thriller, but Eastwood accomplishes something much more complex and enduringly touching. Eastwood filmed an understated masterpiece. If you haven't seen it, watch it.