Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood were responsible for a great deal of Hollywood’s blockbusters in the early to mid Nineties. Somewhere in the middle of all those films, the pair joined together (with Eastwood directing) to create A Perfect World; a low key yet intensely dramatic film that truly let the actors shine.
The film takes place in Texas, somewhere between ’62 – ’63, and begins with prisoners Butch (Costner) and Terry (Keith Szarabajka) breaking out of jail and making their way into a nearby town. While Butch is looking for a new car that the cops won’t recognize, Terry breaks into a nearby home and begins terrorizing a young mother while her 8-year old son, Phillip (T.J.Lowther), looks on. Once a neighbor gets involved in the ruckus, Terry and Butch make a run for it, but not before taking young Phillip as a hostage.
Despite breaking out of jail together, it’s obvious that there is nothing else binding Terry and Butch together and it’s not long before the pair less than amicably decide to go their separate ways. Butch brings Phillip along with him and both begin to develop a bond with one another that could prove to be everlasting.
All the while, a Texas Ranger named Red Garnett (Clint Eastwood) is on the trail to track down the fugitives and get the boy back to his mother. He’s joined by Sally Gerber (Laura Dern), a criminologist assigned to the case and FBI agent Bobby Lee (Bradley Whitford), a man who by the end of the film proves that just because he plays for the good guys doesn’t mean that he is one.
In the realm of performance driven film, A Perfect World is extraordinary. Costner’s Butch is far more than the criminal he’s made out to be. Through his journey with Phillip, many of his layers that he’s built up over the years are torn down, revealing a hurt young man that only had a life of crime to turn to. As the film goes on, he becomes an almost father figure to Phillip, which helps forge their bond even tighter, despite the circumstances that keeps them together.
Eastwood also brings his “A” game to his portrayal of Red. Unlike most cat and mouse films where everything goes the good guy’s way, here Red is portrayed as flawed. Despite being well respected and lauded for his long time service, he’s not above making mistakes nor is he lacking in acceptance of those mistakes. He’s a man that has come to realize the way the world works and, rather than try to be perfect, he’s just going to do his best.
Much like the many other films he’s made, Eastwood’s direction here is very solid. Even at 138 minutes, the film feels like it goes by effortlessly. Wonderful pacing and character-driven storytelling go a long way in much of Eastwood’s directorial work, and A Perfect World is a shining example of that.
If I had to have a gripe with the film, it’s really only regarding one scene. Near the end of the film, a situation arises that works to remind the viewer that, no matter how nice Butch may seem or how much you’ve come to care about the character, he is still a criminal. In a moment’s notice, Butch becomes incredibly dark and the entire pace of the film comes to a halt. It’s not necessarily bad, as it is a good reminder of who we started the film with, but it does come across as oddly placed, especially considering what soon follows said scene.
High-Def Presentation
A Perfect World comes to Blu-ray with a solid AVC MPEG-4 1080p encode that looks fantastic. The whole film has a bit of a washed out hue, helping mimic the feeling of sparse Texas towns in the early 1960’s, and that effect is wonderfully captured here. There doesn’t appear to be any digital tampering with the image as bits of grain are present and fine details are often noticeable. Backgrounds can sometimes look a bit soft in some of the outdoor scenes, but it’s a very minor issue.
The disc also boasts a DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, although it’s not the kind of film that would really take advantage of the full sound scope. There are many outdoor moments where ambient noise is prevalent and a car chase or two gets some use out of the spectrum. The primary focus, though, is on the dialogue and it’s wonderfully centered and clear.
Beyond the Feature
Despite being beloved by critics and fans alike, the only feature included is a two-minute trailer that isn’t even in high definition. I can’t help but think that there had to be some features, interviews or something out there, but if it is, Warner Bros. didn’t care enough to include it.
This was my first viewing of the film and I’m not afraid to say that A Perfect World is damn near a perfect film. I have a soft spot for character dramas and this film delivers that on all fronts. Costner and Eastwood give some of their best performances of their careers, further proving exactly why they are to this day household names. Eastwood’s direction is sparse and effective and one of the many examples of his equally impressive work behind the camera. Coupled with an exceptional transfer and audio package, A Perfect World is a film worth having on any collector’s shelf.
– Matt Hardeman
Shop for A Perfect World on Blu-ray for a discounted price at Amazon.com (June 5, 2012 release date).
