Absolute Power (1997)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Clint Eastwood

Writers (WGA):

David Baldacci (book)
William Goldman (screenplay)

Release Date:

14 February 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Thriller | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Corrupts Absolutely.

Plot:

A career thief witnesses a horrific crime involving the U.S. President.

Plot Keywords:

Political Thriller | Paranoid | Conspiracy | Crusade | Ex Convict

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Clint Eastwood	...	Luther Whitney
Gene Hackman	...	President Allen Richmond
Ed Harris	...	Seth Frank
Laura Linney	...	Kate Whitney
Scott Glenn	...	Bill Burton
Dennis Haysbert	...	Tim Collin
Judy Davis	...	Gloria Russell
E.G. Marshall	...	Walter Sullivan
Melora Hardin	...	Christy Sullivan
Kenneth Welsh	...	Sandy Lord (as Ken Welsh)
Penny Johnson	...	Laura Simon
Richard Jenkins	...	Michael McCarty
Mark Margolis	...	Red Brandsford
Elaine Kagan	...	Valerie
Alison Eastwood	...	Art Student

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexuality and language.

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Philippines:PG-13 | Netherlands:12 (TV version) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Belgium:KNT | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:U | Germany:12 (bw) | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #35038)

Filming Locations:

Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Company:

Castle Rock Entertainment

Trivia:

This adaptation of David Baldacci's novel omits the novel's hero: Jack Graham, a lawyer and good friend of both Luther and Kate Whitney. In the novel, he outlives Luther and carries on the battle to clear Luther's name of the murder charge.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: While Leland is making a telephone call the line is ringing, but he is still dialing numbers.

Quotes:

Luther Whitney: I've got to go have my pacemaker checked, it has been so exciting talking to you.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006)

Soundtrack:

Power Waltz

Quite good, rather.

When I first saw this movie I wasn't expecting anything great. I thought it was just going to be another 'corruption-in-the White-house-plot' but it turned out to be rather different. At the time such films were popular thanks to the Lewinskigate scandal. Absolute Power is much better than other films in the sub-genre like Murder at 1600.

The plot and subject matter are handled with care and maturity and the direction was dignifying to the source material despite having some radical changes near the end. This was the second film I saw that Eastwood had directed (after Perfect World) and I was surprised to see that he is as good at directing as he is acting. Every scene is masterfully edited and framed. Even with a 121 minute running time the film doesn't drag at any point.

I was most impressed with the opening of the movie. Despite the fact that Clint in on screen for the entire first 35 minutes he only has two short lines. I wonder why he didn't cut these out and say nothing until after the opening act as a way of giving the film a peculiar edge. Still, Absolute Power has an opening that has more class and masterful storytelling than most entire movies.

There are three other main actors in the movie. Gene Hackman as the conniving President, Laura Linney as Eastwood's estranged daughter and Ed Harris as the investigating cop. Despite the scope of the film I thought it was brilliant how Eastwood kept the entire story between a handful of characters.

Absolute Power focuses more on these characters and their motivations and feelings rather than giving us ridiculous reasons for set-pieces and shoot-outs. But the movie still has action and it is very well done indeed.

I recommend you see this movie but try to see it in widescreen to fully appreciate Eastwood's great cinematography.