Blood Work (2002)

Still recovering from a heart transplant, a retired FBI profiler (Clint Eastwood) returns to service when his own blood analysis offers clues to the identity of a serial killer.While this is not one of Eastwood's best films in the critical sense, it is a very fun and enjoyable movie just the same. We are given a murder, some clues and follow the trail along with Eastwood. We get red herrings, and you never really know what will happen until it happens.Jeff Daniels is interesting in the supporting role. He seems under0used, but does shine in a few key scenes. Are their plot holes? Yes. Do some characters act in a nonsense manner? Absolutely. But it still makes for a fun film.

When I watched this when it first came out back in 2002, I remember thinking that it was pretty good. Upon further review of a more recent viewing, I am sad to report that "Blood Work" does not nearly hold up to the test of time.For a basic plot summary, the movie follows former police detective Terry McCaleb (Clint Eastwood), whose new heart happens to belong to a murder victim, a woman he vows (on the plea of her sister and orphaned son) to avenge by catching her killer.If you watched this movie in the theater back in 2002 without being spoiled by the "twist ending", you probably enjoyed it more than I will describe in this review. At that point in Eastwood's career, it was a nice vehicle in transferring him strictly to "old-timer" roles instead of always trying to "turn back the clock" on his age-appropriateness.In retrospect, though, "Blood Work" has two things firmly against it:1. When it is quickly followed by "Million Dollar Baby", "Gran Torino", and Eastwood's directorial efforts like "The Changeling" and "Flags of Our Fathers", "Blood Work" all of a sudden seems more towards the median line in terms of Clint's overall performance.2. A more fair criticism of the film, though, would be that it is little more than a hard-boiled cop drama that (judging by the reviews of others, as I have not read the book it is based on) includes none of the "heart" (pardon the pun) of its printed page predecessor. There are two many ridiculous logical jumps and character presentations (first and foremost being the ridiculous romance between old-man Clint and his heart-givers much younger sister) to make this flick seem "original" enough to give it screen credibility.Thus, like I said, the very first unspoiled viewing of Blood Work "in its time" might be a little bit better of an experience (though no classic by any means even then), but overall this is a film that will largely be lost to the sands of time (with only Eastwood's name keeping it relevant).

Crime/mysteries, that's the kind of movies I normally enjoy the most and when Clint Eastwood directs it and plays in it then I think you can say you're in to watch a good movie. It was maybe not his best movie ever but I surely did enjoy it even though I figured out who was the killer long before you're supposed to. Makes me a good detective I guess. The only things that bugged me were the performances of Wanda De Jesus and Paul Rodriguez. I thought their acting was mediocre at best. The star of the movie is of course Clint Eastwood. He's still got it, you can't fault him on anything. His usual rawness is his trademark and it still works perfectly. A good movie to watch once.

Blood Work is a mystery suspense thriller film produced, directed by, and starring Clint Eastwood. The film also features Jeff Daniels, Wanda De Jesús, and Anjelica Huston. It is based off the novel of the same title by Michael Connelly.In the story,FBI agent Terry McCaleb goes outside to address the media when he spots the killer in the crowd during a murder investigation. But the chase ends after McCaleb suffers a heart attack.Now retired, he lives in a houseboat on the San Francisco bay. He is approached by a woman named Graciella Rivers, who's sister was killed during a robbery and asks him to solve the case. It gets personal when McCaleb realizes the victim was the woman who's heart was transplanted into him. Terry McCaleb is an ailing veteran FBI agent who has been given a second chance at life by receiving the heart of a murder victim. Terry is visited by the murder victim's sister, Graciella Rivers, who informs him that he is alive only because of receiving the deceased's heart and asks him to investigate who killed her.McCaleb defies the advice of his physician, Dr. Bonnie Fox, and sets out to find the killer with the help of his neighbor Buddy No one, who lives on a houseboat near his, and a local police detective, Jaye Winston.Before long, despite these drawbacks, McCaleb discovers evidence which suggests the murderer may be a serial who uses random street robberies as a cover, but he finds that Ronaldo Arrango and John Waller, the police detectives assigned to the case, are not especially interested in sharing the glory with the former FBI point man.The movie was interesting from beginning up to the three-quarters of the film when Terry is near in solving the murder mystery and homicide case.But it becomes a routine Clint Eastwood film during the last quarter of the film when Terry is near in identifying the murderer.When he realizes that the murderer is an old enemy during his FBI days who happens to be "the serial code killer",the viewer may lose interest as it becomes an traditional action film wherein everything becomes predictable and clichéd.Too bad that the movie had a great premise about a murderer killing for blood and organ donation as it sounds interesting and refreshing especially for a murder mystery film.It was written very well and it never runs out of intelligence,suspense and tension in the first three-quarters but it loses steam when in the last quarter as I have stated earlier.What also does not work in the film is the romance between Terry and Graciella Rivers.It looks silly.Just like what I have said,when it became a routine action film,the hero needed a love interest which I believe isn't really necessary in the story. But overall,I still recommend this film inspite of its flaws for it never falls short in entertainment.