A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

78% Tomatometer 32 Reviews 84% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings

Butch (Kevin Costner), a escaped state prisoner from a Texas jail, kidnaps Philip (T.J. Lowther), a young, impressionable boy. As they embark on a trip across the American Southwest together, a surprising bond grows between the convict and his captive, even as law enforcement forces slowly catch up with them. An honorable Texas Ranger, Red Garnett (Clint Eastwood), understands Butch has a heart of gold, but must pursue him anyway out of duty to the law and a desire to protect the child.

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Critics Consensus

Despite some formulaic touches, Clint Eastwood's haunting, ambiguous crime drama is smart and gritty, and features a bravura performance from Kevin Costner as a prison escapee on the run.

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Critics Reviews

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A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Owen Gleiberman Entertainment Weekly Rated: C- Sep 7, 2011 Full Review A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (2) David Ansen Newsweek Hancock's surface-skimming script is too formulaic for the job. There's enough material here for a crisp 90-minute entertainment. At 2+ hours, the leisurely, mildly engaging A Perfect World barely sputters across the finish line. Apr 7, 2008 Full Review A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Peter Travers Rolling Stone In going beyond chase-yarn duty, Eastwood and Costner do themselves proud. Jun 6, 2001 Full Review A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Walter Chaw Film Freak Central It's an American masterpiece. Rated: 4/4 Nov 26, 2013 Full Review A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (5) John J. Puccio Movie Metropolis It will not please everyone because it presents things in shades of gray and takes few easy outs. Rated: 7/10 Jun 8, 2012 Full Review A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Peter Canavese Groucho Reviews Tells the tale of an escaped convict and his eight-year-old hostage and, in the process, considers the cycles of disappointment wrought on sons by questionable fathers: abusive ones, absent ones, even a well-meaning "daddy state." [Blu-ray] Rated: 3.5/4 Jun 5, 2012 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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dude d this is a good movie. I dont generally like kevin costner films but he is excellent in this. I like clint eastwood and he is on form. Simple movie but acted so well you dont realise until after the film ends. There are funny moments too in the details. The first 15 minutes sets up the characters so well you just look forward to seeing the story unfold as they interact.... and its suprisingly emotional for this genre. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 10/31/24 Full Review Eye C An interesting approach of how the system fails and how the presumptions and prejudices doesn't helps to make a friendly society… oh and Kevin Costner is the best. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/23/24 Full Review hampus s one of the greatest movies ever made, deserves a much higher score Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/27/24 Full Review Test T I watched this on DVD recently. I enjoyed the story and found the film absorbing to watch. The acting is first rate and the character development is excellent. I particularly liked the contrast between the relationships which developed on either side of the law. Both sides had difficulties getting on at first, but ironically by the end of the film the hostage and his kidnapper formed the strongest bond. The stunts and action were effectively integrated within the plot which added excitement without losing focus on the story. Despite the long runtime, I found the film to pass by quickly, and thought it was well paced. Highly recommended. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/14/24 Full Review matthias s "A Perfect World" is a charming flick that skillfully weaves a tale of an unlikely bond between Kevin Costner's escaped convict character and a young boy, played brilliantly by T.J. Lowther. The film subtly explores the theme of missing fathers and the quest to find them, which adds a layer of emotional depth. The screenplay is well-crafted, keeping the audience engaged throughout the journey. I've always had a soft spot for Laura Dern, and she shines in her role. Costner's performance is excellent, as always, and the chemistry between him and the kid is heartwarming.The bittersweet ending left a mark, tugging at the heartstrings, but it didn't quite captivate me enough to warrant a higher rating. While the character dynamics are compelling, some aspects of the plot could have been more developed. Nonetheless, "A Perfect World" is worth a watch for its performances and the touching exploration of the father-son relationship. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/15/23 Full Review Andrea C On the road con un criminale che non si può odiare, per cui anzi si finisce a fare il tifo nonostante il suo lato dark che lo rende comunque molto credibile.Le ambientazioni ed i personaggi sono vari e danno colore e tono ad ogni sequenza, rendendo la fuga più centrale ancora dei personaggi e dei dialoghi.Questa scelta si rivela vincente, ponendo in secondo piano il ragazzino i cui dialoghi, se più centrali, avrebbero rallentato la pellicola ed annoiato.Il finale poi è romantico e commovente, trovata la perfetta location in un bellissimo prato verde, dopo la sequenza chiave a casa dell'ultima famiglia ad "ospitare" i due protagonisti. Rated 4/5 Stars • Rated 4 out of 5 stars 08/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Clint Eastwood Director Kevin Costner Robert 'Butch' Haynes Clint Eastwood Chief Red Garnett Laura Dern Sally Gerber T.J. Lowther Phillip Perry Keith Szarabajka Terry James Pugh
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Synopsis Butch (Kevin Costner), a escaped state prisoner from a Texas jail, kidnaps Philip (T.J. Lowther), a young, impressionable boy. As they embark on a trip across the American Southwest together, a surprising bond grows between the convict and his captive, even as law enforcement forces slowly catch up with them. An honorable Texas Ranger, Red Garnett (Clint Eastwood), understands Butch has a heart of gold, but must pursue him anyway out of duty to the law and a desire to protect the child.

Director
Clint Eastwood

Producer
Clint Eastwood, Mark Johnson, David Valdes

Screenwriter
John Lee Hancock

Distributor
Warner Bros., Warner Home Vídeo

Production Co
Warner Brothers, Malpaso Company

Rating
PG-13

Genre
Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 24, 1993, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 24, 2014

Box Office (Gross USA)
$29.7M

Runtime
2h 17m

Sound Mix
Surround
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A Perfect World | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

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