classicsoncall Right out of the gate, you have to accept the premise of this film if you want to afford it any kind of credibility. It's a fairly compelling story right up until the point where we find out that Alan Richmond (Gene Hackman) is the President of the United States. The same President who accompanies the wife of an important political backer to her home for the purpose of carrying on an extramarital affair. I mean really, what President would have the wherewithal to conduct a private liaison like that when virtually every minute of his day is scheduled and recorded? Who did Hackman think he is, Bill Clinton?Now if you removed the character of the President as villain, this would have worked a whole lot better. Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) could have found himself in the same series of predicaments and it would have appeared a lot more credible. There was however his relationship with daughter Kate (Laura Linney) that suggested a question mark for this viewer. With Kate admitting she wanted nothing to do with her father, and hadn't seen him in a year before he made contact again, how was it that she happened to have his phone number handy? Not saying it was impossible, but her face to face denunciation of Luther seemed to suggest that she would have kept him entirely at arm's length with no intention of ever communicating with him.I thought the ending was just a bit too stand pat as well. In his press conference, Walter Sullivan (E.G. Marshall) claims that the despondent President committed suicide by stabbing himself!!! With no witnesses!!! In a closed room with only the two of them face to face!!! And there didn't seem to be a hint of suspicion by anyone about the credibility of that story. Best thing folks, is to leave your brain at the door with this one and just roll with the action. It's actually not as bad as the way I made it sound here, but you have to suspend disbelief in a major way on the way to the finish line.

slightlymad22 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.

ma-cortes When expert thief Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) breaks into the luxurious mansion of a politically influential billionaire (E.G. Marshall) , he is surprised by the arrival of a couple (Gene Hackman , Melora Hardin) . After their drunken shenanigans turn nasty that leads to crime and taking place a set-up in which everyone around him is involved . There is only one witness , an ultra-secretive master burglar . Luther is soon pursued by two cops (Ed Harris , Penny Johnson) , a hit man (Richard Jenkins) and the President security guards (Dennys Haysbert , Scott Glenn). This is a light thriller in Hitchcockian style including action , suspense , thrills , improbable events and twisted intrigue . It is about the ruthlessness of people in power but the plot lacks even a political analysis or comment . This Eastwood film is solid but nothing really stick out . It is hard to take against contemporary time , as portraying a coward , cynical , traitor President , being politically incorrect for Hollywood standards . In addition , it contains some unlikely scenes as when the silly dancing between President/Gene Hackman and his cabinet chief/Judy Davis who wears a robbed necklace . Based on the novel by David Baldacci , being screen-writer the notorious William Goldman , who wrote such important successes as Marathon man , Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid , All the President's Men , The princess bride , Misery , among others . This Absolute power (1997) was well-received as well as the subsequently shot Space Cowboys ; however , both of them don't rank with Clint's best jobs as actor/filmmaker . Adequate Clint Eastwood in his ordinary stoic acting as a professional burglar who witnesses both a crime and a cover-up . Nice acting by Gene Hackman as a philander President believes that everything he does is beyond reproach . Support cast is frankly well such as Laura Linney , Melora Hardin , Kenneth Welsh , Mark Margolis, Penny Johnson , Richard Jenkins and cameo of Alison Eastwood , Clint's daughter . Furthermore , the picture displays an atmospheric and sensitive musical score by means of piano composed and performed by Lennie Niehaus , Eastwood's usual . Colorful cinematography by Jack N. Green filmed on location in Washington and Los Angeles . The film was professionally performed and directed by Clint Eastwood . It has some flaws and gaps ; but it's nevertheless solidly agreeable . The picture is far from his other big hits such as his first directed western , Unforgiven (1992) also with Gene Hackman , which garnered him an Oscar for Best Director, and a nomination for Best Actor . Then he took on the secret service in Open fire (1993), which was a success , followed by the interesting but poorly received drama , A perfect world (1993), with Kevin Costner as a thief . Next up was a love story , Bridges of Madison (1995), which was yet again a hit . Subsequent pictures were enjoyable but nothing to do with previous works . Among them were the and the badly received True crime (1999) and Blood work (2002) . Then in 2004, Eastwood surprised yet again when he produced, directed and starred in Million Dollar Baby (2004). The movie earned Eastwood an Oscar for Best Director and a Best Actor nomination for the second time . He had other successes directing the multi-award-winning films Mystic River (2003), Flags of our fathers (2006), Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), and The changeling (2008) . After a four-year hiatus from acting, Eastwood's return to the screen in the successful Gran Torino (2008) .

sol1218 ***SPOILERS*** It's when master Jewel thief Luther Whitney, Clint Eastwood,brakes into billion dollar philanthropist and political king maker Walter Sullivan's ,E.G Marshell Virginia mansion that he ends up becoming a witness to a murder that if exposed can shake the very foundations of power in the US Government! Hiding in a secret vault in the mansion Luther watches the President of the United States Allen Richmond, Gene Hackman, almost dead drunk getting rough and violent with the lady of the house Christy Sullivan, Melora Hardin, whom he's been having an affair with behind her husband's back from the last few months.With things getting out of hand and Christy getting the best of the drunken slob and about to run him through with a letter opener the secret service agents Bill Burton & Tim Collins, Scott Glenn & Dennis Haysbert, comes to Pres. Richmond's rescue and blast her away before she can do any damage! Luther who witnessed the entire spectacle, behind a two way mirror, checks out but takes with him the bloody letter opener that Agent Collins left that can tie Pres. Richmond to Christy Sullivan's murder! Instead of just laying low and forgetting about the whole thing, Christy Sullivan's murder, Luther takes it upon himself to bring the most powerful man in the world President Allen Richmond to the bar of justice which not only jeopardized his life but that of his estranged daughter Kate, Laura Linney, as well. It's then that the film takes a turn to the worst or unbelievable with Luther using his skills of disguise as well as intimidation to take on the entire power structure of the United States Government with the government from President Richmond on down seemingly powerless to stop him. A feat that even super cop "Dirty Harry" Calahan couldn't do!Clint Eastwood who's in his late 60's has trouble convincing the audience that he's at least 30 years younger in the action scenes that he's he's in. Eastwood also jokes about his age in telling the cop in charge of investigating the Christy Sullivan murder Seath Frank, Ed Harris,that he has to have his pacemaker checked out in all the pressure that Frank is putting on him in being a suspect in Mrs. Sullivan's murder. Yet Eastwood,or his stunt double, preforms action stunts that even an Olympic gold medalist gymnast would have trouble duplicating!***SPOILERS*** The end of the movie spears the audience the bloody details of the dramatic encounter, arranged by Luther Whitney, between Walter Sullivan and his best friend ,who he helped put in office, President Allen Richmond. That in Sullivan finding out that Richmond not only had an affair with his wife but also had her murdered to keep her mouth shut! As for Richmond's chief of staff dragon lady Gloria Russell, Judy Davis, who tried to cover up the whole bloody mess as well as tried to shut Luther up, by having him killed, she ends up getting all that's coming to her. Which we can't say for the actual killers of Christy Sullivan Burton & Collins who took, or in the case of Collins got, the easy way out by never having to be put on trial from what they did! Luther Whitney made certain of that!