just watch it!

Crappy film

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood), does not have a social call in mind when he goes to Walter Sullivan's mansion late one fateful night.The mansion is desserted (the entire household having gone off to Barbados for the weekend), and the wealth is ripe for the picking.Luther, an experienced burglar, has made it his business to know about the vault in the master bedroom (storing about 5 million dollars of Mrs. Sullivan's diamond jewelry), and after disabling a billion dollar security system, makes his way eagerly up the stairs to plunder the invaluable loot.But as he's stuffing diamond necklaces and tiaras into a sack, a pair of unexpected visitors arrive...and he realizes the coast may not be as clear as he thought.The visitors are none other than Christy Sullivan (Walter Sullivan's trophy wife), and a gentleman caller who turns out to be none other than the President Of The United States, Allen Richmond (Gene Hackman).Both are drunk, both are in a romantic mood, and as Luther watches powerlessly (from behind a one way mirror in the vault), what at first appears to be a standard randevouz, unfolds into a horrifying series of events which reveal the President to be a woman beater.When Christy fights back, she gets shot dead by two Agents of the Secret Service, having stabbed Allen in the arm with a letter opener.The two Agents file into the room, along with Chief Of Staff Gloria Russell (Judy Davis), and an outrageous cover-up takes place.Bill Burton and Tim Collin (Scott Glenn and Dennis Haysbert respectively) "sanitize the place" while a half drunk Allen recovers, and Gloria comes up with a story involving "poor Christy coming home early, and interrupting a burglary."The importance of the letter opener is quickly assessed ("Blood... Fingerprints."), and after snatching out of Tim Collins hands, Gloria stuffs it in her purse.Their job over, they turn off the light switch, and exit Sullivan's mansion, leaving Luther in shock.Then we see Gloria rummaging through her purse, and Luther bending over to pick something up, and we see that she's dropped the letter opener... which is now in Luther's possession as he makes a successful get away... with the President's minions in hot pursuit.What ensues is an unpredictable tale of power, and murder, which Clint Eastwood directs (and stars in), with impeccable style and grace.Ed Harris is terrific as Seth Frank, the puzzled Detective investigating an interrupted burglary killing which is looking less and less like an interrupted burglary killing.Laura Linney is great as Luther Whitney's estranged daughter Kate, and the relationship between father and daughter is very well portrayed.Gene Hackman, Judy Davis, and Scott Glenn are also excellent, and some of their scenes allow for unexpected humor which makes the story richer, and really lightens things up.And finally, there's E.G. Marshal...E.G. Marshal's portrayal cameo role as Walter Sullivan really crowns the making of this movie.His portrayal of an obscenely rich man who made his all wealth from nothing, and still managed to keep his integrity, is inspiring, and very believable.Without him, the audience would not have been able to believe that Luther Whitney would have put his life on the line for a grieving old multimillionaire with a dead trophy wife, and a phony bond with the President.With him however, you buy the plot completely.And it's a good plot, filled with unexpected nobility in the face of the basest corruption.I read the book, and I must say, this is one of those occasions where I liked the movie a lot better.In the novel, Luther Whitney, and Walter Sullivan are both killed.I don't know about you but I like this movie's happy ending...(And it's a better one).Originally Review #33

One of the worst movies I ever saw. Makes no sense. Clint should be ashamed of himself for foisting this on the public. Some other reviewers have itemized a few of the plot holes, and I validate everything they said. No need to repeat the details.

"Absolute Power" is an excellent movie to watch if you are looking for something undemanding and entertaining. The picture is made well and by the end, everything is wrapped up very nicely. If, on the other hand, you want a realistic film....well you might just wanna look further.Luther (Clint Eastwood) is a career super-thief...with amazing skills and daring as well as a man who's never been caught. However, when he breaks into a rich man's home and raids the guy's hidden vault, things go from fantastic to horrible in a matter of no time. The hidden room is chock full of money and jewels...and Luther is making a big haul. But in the midst of doing this, some folks arrive home unexpectedly. The wife did NOT go overseas with her husband and instead is having a clandestine rendezvous with another man...a violent man who soon begins slapping her around and verbally abusing her. Then, just as she breaks away from the beast and is about to stab him, shots ring out....Secret Servicemen dispatch the woman about to kill the President. Yes, the President of the US is a violent perv...and Luther saw the woman murdered before his very eyes. Fortunately no one saw him in the hidden room and Luther leaves...absconding with some of the evidence just in case he needs it.Now the idea of a President being a perverted, corrupt piece of crap isn't why I said that the film is unrealistic...I COULD buy that. But for Luther to fight the President AND Secret Service and do so well against them...well, that seems extremely unrealistic. Just turn off your brain as you watch...it IS a good film provided you stop your brain from thinking out the plot too much.

Continuing my plan to watch every Clint Eastwood movie in order I come to Absolute Power (1997)Plot In A Paragraph: Luther Whitney (Eastwood) a career thief witnesses a horrific crime involving the U.S. President (Gene Hackman).At 67, Clint was clearly slowing down now. This was released 2 years after his last movie (The Bridges Of Madison County) and that followed 2 years after A Perfect World. For a man who often released several movies a year, this was quite a change of pace.It's a bit of a mixed bag this one, the disguises (Master of disguise) Clint uses are not very good and some of it's not very logical, but the acting raises it above average. Absolute Power's awesome acting ensemble includes Gene Hackan, Scott Glenn Scott, E.G Marshall (in his last role) and the ever reliable Ed Harris and they are all great. One of the things I noticed rewatching this is how parenting and fatherhood in particular, proved a key theme as in A Perfect World, and like several other Eastwood characters Whitney follows his own personal code. He is a thief, but he has a sense of honour. This is partially what makes him a sympathetic character alongside his good sense of humour and his apparent avoidance of needless violence. Absolute Power was not a box office success. The movie earned a total domestic box office gross of $50 million to end 1997 as the 38th highest grossing movie of the year.