Absolute Power

A political thriller but also a strong father-daughter story
At the start of "Absolute Power" Luther Whitne (Clint Eastwood), cat burglar par excellence, finds himself in a very strange situation. While robbing a rich man's safe in a large bedroom closet, he is interrupted by the appearance of a man and woman who head straight for the bed. While hiding in the closet, where he sees what is going on through a two-way mirror, he watches while the sex play gets rough: the man hits her, she stabs him with a letter opener, and then two men come into the room and shoot her. Luther gets out of there, but while his presence was undetected it does not go undiscovered. The problem is that the man he was watching happens to be the President of the United States (Gene Hackman).

Now, I have to stop at this point and tell you that one of my cinematic pet peeves is the idea that the United States Secret Service will let the president do anything, no matter how stupid or reckless, without batting an eye. Indeed, in "Absolute Power"...

Clint vs. The White House...Who Will Win?...Well, You Know!
This review refers to the Warner Home Video(DVD edition) of "Absolute Power"

This is one of Clint's best. It really shows off his expertise in front of and behind the camera. His on screen magnetism matches his superb direction in this great thriller. Also included is some of the best talent in Hollywood, as Clint has a knack for surrounding himself with the finest actors.

"Absolute Power" from 1997 is a terrific thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat(even after repeated viewings) as Clint goes up against some mighty powerful enemies. He is an aging master thief, and while in the process off pulling of the ultimate job, witnesses a murder.And this murder involves the most powerful man in the world. When Clint is the chief suspect, he must prove that the blood trail leads all the way to the Whitehouse. Not an easy task for our guy, as he is being persued by all sides.The film is multi-faceted as it also let's us in on this thief's softer side as he...

THE POWER OF THE DIRECTOR
With MYSTIC RIVER being the most recent example, director Clint Eastwood shows why his movies are so powerful: the casting and the expert, effective direction. Eastwood the director is much better than Eastwood the actor, and there are times I wish he'd cast others in the roles he takes. But that aside, this political thriller soars because of the wonderful actors and the way Clint works with them to bring out the best, even in smaller, seemingly insignificant scenes. Let's look at some of these performances:
GENE HACKMAN - an outstanding actor who always gives a hundred percent doesn't get a lot of screen time in this one, but of course his scenes are pivotal and his ability to create such a devious and self-centered liar are brilliant.
LAURA LINNEY - one of our most consistently good actresses, Laura takes the cliche role of abandoned daughter, but fills it with the hurt that comes from that; the love that still wants to get out, and her devotion to the man she feels...

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