Review of Absolute Power (1997) by Jim M — 17 Jun 2011

Ex-Con and career thief Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) is in the middle of pulling that oh so infamouse last job, when he spys the President of the United States, Allan Richmond (Gene Hackman), with the young wife of his biggest backer Walter Sullivan (E.G. Marshall). Things turn violent, the young woman is shot dead by the Secret Service, and the Presidents Chief of Staff (Judy Davis) covers the whole thing up. But they're are enough questions that D.C. Police won't declare this a robbery gone bad, and when the President learns that Luther has evidence proving his involment he targets Luthers daughter..."That's simply unacceptable".

Clint Eastwood directs a well constructed thriller that proved timely (released in the middle of the Clinton sex scandals), and draws one in. A few to many lucky breaks then is generally good for this kind of thing but Eastwood does try to keep things grounded and as always plays his age, and everything is rapped up rather nicely. I could praise the music and cinematography and acting (with this cast it better be good), instead I'll simply say that it is one of the few movies that neither felt too short or too long instead ending in the perfect spot. Check it out.