Director: Clint Eastwood
Year: 1997 Country: U.S. Genre: Thriller Rating: 7.5/10
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Judy Davis, Scott Glenn, Dennis Haysbert, EG Marshall, Alison Eastwood and Melora Hardin
"Absolute Power" is one of the best thrillers directed by Clint Eastwood. Unconventional, even assuming a rather implausible argument, Luther Whitney (Eastwood), a specialist in large theft, plans to rob the mansion of a tycoon. However, once inside, is involuntary witness to a murder involving a woman President of the EE.UUU., His chief of staff and two Secret Service agents. But who can turn a criminal to accuse someone of murder related to the White House?. The nineteenth film directed by Eastwood is solved admirably, showing a very personal exercise, applying this practice so revered in the days of classic Hollywood, which consists of appropriating the story and make an excuse, a means rather to treat topics that interest you, whether thematic or formal. It is generally accepted that Clint Eastwood film (the one directed by him that is) is divided into two parts: first you have commercial products, determined, in general, professionally, and at the opposite pole the films labeled as "author "where the director shows his true character behind the camera. To the first belong all the thrillers of the filmmaker, also his first two westerns and other movies not affiliated to any particular genre. "Absolute Power" is another proof that this division is quite unfortunate and after its release in 1997 it was found that it was misunderstood Eastwood's career, which was expected another film as above, ie, a film "author", given the fact that this new thriller was not, in any case should be considered a film less well resolved, an impasse in the career of its director in hopes of another of his personal films.
Eastwood builds a film focused on the description and development of characters who get them real and human (aided by veteran screenwriter William Goldman and good) and raising the initial focus of the proposal beyond what predictable. Despite some schematics on the stroke of President Richmond (played with his usual solvency by a Gene Hackman character who knows how to train an adequate dose of evil and cynicism) that since the first time is revealed as a true "son of a bitch" (and excuse the expression, but no other), the fact is that relationships between each of the characters are believable and rich in detail. The president's circle has gray and extremely tight, with Secret Service agents who shot the victim, acting at first conviction to do for their country, but that gradually reveal their uncertainties, especially Bill (Scott Glenn) showing his disgust at a time to which he is president and commit suicide and asking forgiveness. For its part, the chief of staff, Gloria Russell (excellent Judy Davis), and finally shows someone who acts more by an appreciation and respect, almost love, which professes to the president, who by a duty to their country, revealing an extremely tragic and helpless character that leads to a pretty funny moment, but ultimately terribly cruel her, that in which it presents at a party with the collar of the victim, as Luther has deceived into believing that it is a gift from the president.
particular interest presents the relationship between Luther, his daughter Kate (Laura Linney) and Seth Frank (Ed Harris extraordinary equanimity that provides intelligence to the character and humanity), police Lt. Washington caseworker. The distance between the old Whitney of his daughter, by his past behind bars and the death of her mother, takes a turn after the events experienced by the thief. Kate's initial misgivings are nothing more than a logical position, defensive about someone you like, but that has made him suffer. Gradually, both will go closer, thanks partly to the emergence of Seth Frank, a moment that is already apparent in this wonderful scene where Kate discovers that Luther has photographs of her at home and in details such as Kate's fridge Luther filled with food or as simple dialogues and sounding completely sincere as a replica of Luther when her daughter asked why she went to the appointment if he feared could be a trap, "my daughter wanted to see me." Simultaneously, the relationship between Kate and Seth Frank, and between it and Luther, further enriches the story. Lieutenant admired from the first time Luther and his conversations are cautioned that the two hit it off despite correspond to two different generations, similarly, we see an obvious interest in the police for Kate, and since their first meeting, although overly stressed later in the dialogue between the two when Frank repeated several times that he lives alone, although it is still quite realistic and definitely fun.
Luther, Kate and Seth Frank, President, Gloria Russell and the two agents, in addition to the victim's husband, billionaire Walter Sullivan (EG Marshall), represent different forms of solitude and in the case of Luther and Sullivan can be seen that mean to be alone and die no one around, very well expressed through conversation with Seth Frank Sullivan maintains or through the scene in which Luther has returned home to dinner without company. Luther's loneliness is taken forever, not forever, since their work is outside the law, is bleak and often made him run away (like this one, although ultimately change your mind). For its part Seth Frank and Kate are two adults who are living alone for quite some time, something that is not explicitly stated, but is easily deduced, probably because no one has yet found anyone to share their lives, resulting in the mutual interest (not only is Frank who is attracted to Kate) that arises between them, a touch that humanizes the characters more, because that solitude in which they live is not premeditated and the possibility of meeting someone is always present. The relationship shown in a tangential way, often in subtle ways, avoiding usual cliché of many films, but already the treatment of choice for the film avoids the commonplace, and formularies. As for President Richmond, portrait is very gray, presenting it as being mean, who lives in a terrible loneliness, as those around him are there for their work or their obligations (including his wife, referred more like another member of his government as your spouse), being unable to realize the appreciation that others (Sullivan, Gloria Russell) feels for him.
In "Absolute Power" gives way to the drama thriller and black humor it, living in the same sequence and even in the same plane without bothering to enrich characters and situations. "Absolute Power" is a thriller populated by characters well defined and well-developed, containing no little suspense sequences (true, because as the characters come to those interested in real meaning) worthy of being remembered, Eastwood showing the best in recent years. Beyond the meeting (and gorgeous) Parallel stacking sequence of the three-sided ambush plotted against Luther, the film has great moments: the tense robbery sequence that concludes with the assassination, a narrative progression and successful obtained reversal of roles where the protagonist (and the audience with him) goes through different states (thief, witness, prey), the attempted murder of Kate when her car with her inside is pushed down an embankment, the splendid resolution film's implausible also sincerely, shown in three parts: the first scene Luther Sullivan reveals who he really is the murderer of his wife in the next millionaire goes to the White House to talk with the president, with a the murder weapons hidden behind a hand, that scene is interrupted when Sullivan entered the office of president and is strung with the news that Luther sees on television: there is given the news of the suicide of President Richmond, where he explains his dismay Sullivan the loss of which he regarded as a child, the same falsehood and cynicism and used by the President when he gave a press conference for the death of Sullivan woman, "staging" Luther was also on television, he was about to take a plane that would take him far away, and after deciding not to run away, and that basically does not want to be alone.
What we can say is that "Absolute Power" is a good thriller with a great start (the whole sequence in the room of the mansion is beautifully filmed, including the fight with reminiscences of "Perfect Crime" by Hitchcock) whose pulse is maintained throughout practically the whole film. Eastwood is allowed a little touch of humor to ease tension following the murder (ever upwards and pitching Luther as officials argue over whether or not to call the police), there is also some criticism of the American political world, showing that little can teach you in this to make a competent film. The end may be somewhat hasty, with an ending that seems to come too easily, but still does not detract from a set that, as is customary in the director, is a new example of how to make entertaining movies for the masses without being the film embarrassment. Also, some scenes from the film Eastwood returned to the hard and cold from the old days, especially in certain scene that takes place in the hospital where the actor gives us a Callahan style atomic sentence. In "Absolute Power" Eastwood was surrounded, as always, competent actors, most notably Gene Hackman, who has given us some of the best villains of recent times, Ed Harris and the great side playing the billionaire EG Marshall Walter Sullivan , which would be his last role on the big screen. "Absolute Power" is an entertaining film that allows one to say that you enjoy the film without popping it shame him.
"Thrilling, with many references to Don Siegel"
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