A Perfect World (dir. Clint Eastwood)
Known for: Unforgiven (1992), Gran Torino (2008), Million Dollar Baby (2004)
What it’s about: After breaking out of prison, convict Butch Haynes (Kevin Costner) and his partner Terry take a young boy, Phillip (T.J. Lowther), hostage and flee across Texas. On the way, Butch and Phillip discover commonalities in their disgruntled pasts and form an unexpected and poignant friendship. Leading the pursuit for Butch and Phillip is U.S. Marshal “Red” Garnett (Clint Eastwood) and bureaucratic brainiac, Sally Gerber (Laura Dern).
Why it’s worth watching: 1993 was an unbelievably impressive year for film – with Spielberg’s Jurassic Park and Schindler’s List dominating the Oscars, as well as The Fugitive, Tombstone, Groundhog Day, and Eastwood’s own In the Line of Fire. As such, A Perfect World was left out of the conversation. But over time, it has garnered respect and reputation as the year’s most underrated flick. An unbelievably powerful and emotional story leads Eastwood’s film, as we find ourselves laughing and crying throughout Butch and Phillip’s Texas odyssey.