A Perfect World (1993)

Summary: Butch Haynes and Terry Pugh escape from a Texas penitentiary and go on the run. They invade the house of a Jehovah’s Witness widow where Butch prevents Terry from molesting her, but they take Phillip her son as a hostage. Later Butch shoots Terry dead when he threatens Phillip. Meanwhile the Texas Rangers, led by Red Garnett, in a specially equipped Airstream caravan are on the trail.  Butch and Phillip seem to begin to enjoy the chase, and their friendship and Butch reveals that he wants to get to Alaska, although never really showing any signs of getting out of the state. After Phillip shoots and injures Butch to prevent him from killing an abusive farmer the Rangers begin to close in. How will it all end?

Content: A waitress and Butch almost get to it but are interrupted. Beer is drunk and Butch smokes continuously, it is 1963. We find that Red and Butch have history, Red having had Butch jailed for a minor offense, intending to save him from a life of crime. The escapees drive about on the back roads of the state and the Rangers are driven about in their caravan which eventually crashes comedically. There is interaction with the female criminologist who is accompanying them. There are various dramatic scenes involving Butch and others and emotional ones involving him and Phillip.

A View: This outing has been well liked in retrospect and actually made money outside America. It shows a lot of the signs we have come to recognise as Clint Eastwood’ s directorial style making some of the contrivances in the plot acceptable. Kevin Costner does a sterling job as Butch, and Clint Eastwood appears in what is actually a minor role.  Well worth a view if you like slightly unusual dramas.

Kevin Costner has appeared in many and variable movies. Some have been reviewed on this site. I have liked 3000 Miles to Graceland, 3 Days to Kill and the controversial Waterworld

Kevin Costner has appeared in many and variable movies. Some have been reviewed on this site. I have liked 3000 Miles to Graceland, 3 Days to Kill and the controversial Waterworld.