Click to read the article
A Perfect World (1993)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:26
Fresh:22
Rotten:4
Average Rating:7.4/10
Runtime: 2 hrs 19 mins
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: A PERFECT WORLD is set in Texas in 1963. Working from John Lee Hancock's original script, Clint Eastwood crafts a subtle and haunting work that features what is perhaps Kevin Costner's best... A PERFECT WORLD is set in Texas in 1963. Working from John Lee Hancock's original script, Clint Eastwood crafts a subtle and haunting work that features what is perhaps Kevin Costner's best performance. Costner plays against type as Butch Haynes, an escaped convict whose tendency toward violence is masked by his affability. Haynes escapes with a more blatantly dangerous convict, Terry Pugh, planning to ditch him as soon as they cross the border. But Pugh's lack of self-control gets them in trouble, and they take a young boy hostage. Raised by his single mother, a Jehovah's Witness, Phillip Perry (T.J. Lowther, in a heartbreakingly real performance) is fascinated by Haynes's roughneck ways, and the two form a surprisingly strong bond. Eastwood takes a supporting role as Red Garnett, the lawman who, ineptly but inevitably, is closing in on Haynes. With a woman criminologist (Laura Dern) and a trigger-happy federal agent along for the ride, Garnett chases Haynes down while keeping their shared past a secret from his team. Following WHITE HUNTER, BLACK HEART and UNFORGIVEN, A PERFECT WORLD shows Eastwood as a filmmaker at the absolute height of his creative powers. A PERFECT WORLD is one of his boldest works. [More]
Starring: Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, T.J. Lowther
Starring: Kevin Costner, Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, T.J. Lowther
Director: Clint Eastwood
Director: Clint Eastwood
Reviews for A Perfect World
A Perfect World is evidence that Hollywood is still capable of producing the kinds of moving, intelligent movies that have increasingly become the province of independent film makers.
Some may accuse the picture of sentimentality, but really it gets caught up in the moment.
A Perfect World is essentially an indictment of how the American penal system turns troubled boys into career crooks, but the film is weakened by a plethora of inappropriate comedy.
A Perfect World is really two films. One is mediocre at best, but the other is one of the best films of the year. Together, they still add up to one of the better films of the year.
This is a little movie and should have a brief running time. The editor must have been asleep at his desk.
It's not a perfect movie -- there's a bit more formula here than there ought to be -- but it's closer than you might think.
Within its narrow, unambitious, commercial boundaries, the movie is highly watchable.
In going beyond chase-yarn duty, Eastwood and Costner do themselves proud.
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 95% 95% | Star Trek |
| 14% 14% | The Ugly Truth |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 67% 67% | Public Enemies |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 95% 95% | The Cove |
| 85% 85% | World's Greatest Dad |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- A Perfect World at Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

