i truly consider tightrope to be by far one of eastwood best acting performance . he definitely do deserve and that year and at least an oscar nomination for best actor . and do not be mistake and wes block have nothing to do with dirty harry . true and these two cop both have their dark side an aspect that eastwood have learn to exploit in a number of his picture and but wes block appear to be much more human than harry . this single father be struggle with his own demon and persuade that until now he have screw up about everything in his life and begin with his marriage . he try real hard to be a good father and as well a a good cop and that be until this killer come along and threaten all he be fight for to preserve . here we get to know a guy who extremely vulnerable and hurt and un self confident and haunt and whose relationship with woman remain ambiguous and base on control and kind of a if he be afraid of them and of what they could do to him and see them a a threat . hence his resort to the service of prostitute and his use of handcuff on them . a usual in eastwood movie and we wan na know what underneath this front his character put on . like in pale rider and josey wale and the bridge of madison county . the silence and the puzzling and haunting and deep look and that tell u far more about a character than any word would . less be more be definitely a guideline of this movie . most of the time and eastwood character reveal themselves through their silence and and it particularly true here . i believe there a line in tightrope that sum up pretty accurately what eastwood movie be really about represent i be not sure how close i wan na get . theyre about very private men struggle with life . this movie be simply one of his best .