Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Overlooked Movies: A Perfect World

This was originally published on 11/22/11.  Didn't have time to do a new one this week.

A Perfect World was directed by Clint Eastwood, who plays a supporting role. The star is Kevin Costner, and if you don't think he can act, watch this movie. The setting is Texas in the 1960s, and Costner plays Butch Haynes, a killer who escapes from prison. He kidnaps a young boy who goes along with him. Eastwood is the Texas Ranger who's in their trail, along with a criminologist played by Laura Dern.

The main focus of the movie is the relationship that develops between Costner and the boy. Haynes may be a killer, but Costner shows that he's a complex one. His own background gives him a special feeling for kids, and he's quite engaging as he and the boy elude their pursuers.

You know how this one's going to end, maybe, but the road trip is well worth your time.

And so is the soundtrack. I can think of maybe four movies I've seen, after which I went immediately to a store about bought the soundtrack CD. This is one of them.

5 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

I bet I said this last time too but I really loved this movie.

George said...

I watched A PERFECT WORLD after your first review and loved it!

Henry Melton said...

This was another of those movies shot in my neighborhood. While commuting to work I saw them doing the scene where they hid the car in the (corn?) field. It was in Cele, one of those road intersection communities.

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing this on its original release after you recommended it back then. Good one.


Jeff

Gerard said...

I took an afternoon off from school and saw a matinee in Arlington, TX.

I bought the CD soundtrack from a cutout bin and it is a great soundtrack that introduced me to Bob Wills.