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:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Corrupts Absolutely.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Thief | Murder | Secret Service | Power | Burglar

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:

At the Cafe Alonzo, when policeman Seth Frank (Ed Harris) and Secret Service agent Bill Burton (Scott Glenn) are standing inside a building foyer, a plaque on the door of the foyer reads "This Week Only: Carol Glenn Watercolor Exhibition". Carol Glenn is an artist and Scott Glenn's wife of many years. Some of her watercolors can just be glimpsed.

Goofs:

Continuity: The headline in the Washington Times reads "Jewel Thief Sought", yet the text of the article is about congressional hearings.

Quotes:

Kate Whitney: Do you know what it's like to be the only kid in the first grade who got to talk about visiting day?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006)

Soundtrack:

Power Waltz

Beats True Crime

Absolute Power is an exciting thriller and one of the better latter-day films that Clint has starred in. I thought True Crime was mediocre, Space Cowboys nothing but a gathering of names, Bloodwork pretty lame and boring and Million Dollar Baby...well, it's not really a Clint Eastwood film, is it? It is a Hilary Swank film, although Clint made perhaps his greatest performance ever in it.

Anyway, the first couple times I watched Absolute Power, I thought it was OK but didn't do anything special for me. It is only now, after seeing it again after many years that I see its' quality. Not among Eastwood's greatest works or roles, but another exciting and pleasing work. After the sappiness of Bridges of Madison County this came as a breath of fresh air for us who appreciate "the real" Clint Eastwood. I am not putting down on that film either, but such roles are not really where he is best put at use.

This film boasts a really marvelous supporting cast consisting of Gene Hackman, Laura Linney, Scott Glenn, Ed Harris and Judy Davis. All class acts. So if you have never seen it and are a fan of Eastwood, see it! If you have seen it before, but didn't quite get into it, give it another try. This really is one of Clint's last good thrillers, perhaps the last one that resembles his true classics.