In 1997, Clint Eastwood directed and starred in a terrific adaption of David Baldacci's bestseller, ABSOLUTE POWER.
It was the start of another great run for Eastwood at the box office, proving he had his best work ahead of him at the age of 67.
Eastwood is career jewel thief, Luther Whitney. On the surface, he's retired and living the straight life after a stint in prison, but as the film opens, he's in the middle of his last big heist at the palatial home of political operative Walter Sullivan (a superb EG Marshall in his last film).
Mid-robbery, Luther finds himself hiding in a huge closet with a one-way mirror as a man and woman engage in drunken passion that soon turns violent and deadly.
The man is President of the United States Richmond, played with a killer blend of power and entitlement by a great Gene Hackman.
Luther escapes, but the Secret Service is hot on his trail.
The highest reaches of government, the FBI and Luther are soon in a complicated and enjoyable game of cat and mouse as a truth too damaging in the halls of power must be silenced at all costs.
Eastwood is terrific, especially in his scenes with clever FBI agent Seth Frank, played to perfection by Ed Harris (The Right Stuff, The Abyss).
Eastwood also shines in his interaction with estranged daughter Kate (Laura Linney) who only knows one version of her father, with his real persona being revealed alongside the facts of the mysterious death and burglary.
Eastwood pulls off every scene in front of and behind the camera and keeps the suspense moving, supported by a great adaption of Baldacci's novel by one of our best screenwriters, William Goldman (All The President's Men, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Princess Bride, Heat).
Scott Glenn is great as a Secret Service man with morals, Judy Davis is menacing as the President's Chief of Staff and Dennis Haysbert is strong as another Secret Service man, years before he played the President himself on TV's "24".
Eastwood crafts great movies and he's at his best in this taut, fun thriller. He didnt make a lot of spy/espionage thrillers in his career, but this along with "In The Line of Fire", "The Eiger Sanction" are standouts.
Clint Eastwood is in ABSOLUTE POWER throughout and steals a solid B
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