An escaped convict takes a young boy hostage and heads across Texas with law enforcement closing in behind them. But as the miles pile up, their relationship becomes far more complicated than either of them expected. What begins as a manhunt gradually turns into a surprisingly emotional story about childhood, fathers, freedom, and whether a damaged person can still do something good. Next week we’re reviewing a crime drama that looks like a chase movie but has a hell of a lot more going on underneath it.

Commissioned by: Rob H. • 8/8/26

• Year: 1993
• Budget: About $30 million
• Box Office: About $135 million worldwide
• Awards: No major Academy Award nominations
• Fun Facts: The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, who also plays the Texas Ranger leading the pursuit. Kevin Costner took the darker role of the escaped convict while he was near the height of his career as a Hollywood leading man. Much of the movie was filmed around Texas, including Austin and surrounding communities. Although its American box office was relatively modest, the movie performed much better internationally and has gradually developed a reputation as one of Eastwood’s more overlooked films of the 1990s.