A Perfect World (1993)

This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

The first must-see film of the year.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

Escaped convicts kidnap the young son of a Jehovah's witness and teach him common life lessons while on the run from authorities. Stellar acting and a compelling script keep up the pace until the tragic ending. Minor transgressions include unnecessary homicide by the hero (he could simply have left his partner behind) including a weird shift where he nearly murders a family of helpers. A desire to see the criminal win out against the system may also be viewed as unfit. The ghost of a chance.

Nigh on a perfect film. In fact it is perfect and as an exercise in movie making, taking account of all aspects other than personal enjoyment quotient it ticks every box, unreservedly, and it was only a personal thing which lead me to initially give it a 9.3. But whatever, let's not get too precious about it. 10. Up there in the stellar regions of my ten films we can get really incremental, but I cannot think of a single factor, including personal enjoyment where it doesn't get top marks, as the more I have pondered it the more I realise the beauty of it all. It's a buddy movie twice, Clint Eastwood and Laura Dearn carrying the support act to Costner and T.J. Lowther's focal piece, there is a pleasant dressing of comedy, and in Costner's Butch a character of wide yet visible complexity who encapsulates the dilemma faced by social scientists across time and space since the get go, never mind a person's own demons. It's kind of better in that it is not a widely acclaimed film, it makes it more personal, and a film that grows with investment; for me it got better as it wore on, I really don't think there is anything not to love about it. If I were dishing the gongs out I wouldn't have given 1993's to Tom Hanks. And I truly dig Tom Hanks.

I really don't get what the fuss is about with this movie. It's really not that special at all. I normally like what Clint Eastwood does but this one is for sure not his best achievement. Don't get me wrong, I don't say the actors are bad, especially not Kevin Costner or the little kid T.J.Lowther, but the storyline isn't worth much. The only thing that makes it worth watching is the bond between Costner and Lowther. For the rest it's all downhill. Okay we all know that cops are not the brightest people on earth, but here in this movie they are almost borderline retarded. If that's how a man on the run has to be caught then they won't catch a lot of fugitives. And this one doesn't even make real attempts to escape, he's just cruising around with the boy. Highly overrated movie to me.

Butch (Kevin Costner) escapes from prison, takes a little boy named Phillip hostage, and leads the police (headed by Clint Eastwood) on a 2-day chase through rural Texas. The boy forms a close bond with his kidnapper who turns out to be a compassionate, though flawed, man.This is a very good movie with some humor and a lot of suspense. Butch and Phillip's scenes are pure gold, extremely well-written and believable. Kevin Costner gives an excellent, subtle, and sympathetic performance. Seven-year old T. J. Lowther is perfect as the boy who sees the getaway as a fun and grown-up adventure; he's endearing without being too-sweet. The movie alternates between Butch and Phillip and their pursuers, and while Eastwood is good as the steely Texas Ranger, Laura Dern is just annoying in a thankless role as a scowling criminologist. I would have given the movie 10 stars if all of the scenes without Butch and Phillip were deleted; they are wonderful together and the rest of the cast is just there to pad the movie.Directed by Eastwood, the film is ultimately a sad one but Costner and Lowther are outstanding.