Blood Work (film)
Blood Work is a 2002 American mystery thriller film produced, directed by, and starring Clint Eastwood. The film co-stars Jeff Daniels, Wanda De Jesús, and Anjelica Huston. It is based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Michael Connelly.
| Blood Work | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Clint Eastwood |
| Produced by | Clint Eastwood |
| Screenplay by | Brian Helgeland |
| Based on | Blood Work 1998 novel by Michael Connelly |
| Starring |
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| Music by | Lennie Niehaus |
| Cinematography | Tom Stern |
| Edited by | Joel Cox |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $50 million[1] |
| Box office | $31.8 million[2] |
Eastwood won the Future Film Festival Digital Award at the Venice Film Festival.
Plot
During a federal investigation into a local homicide, FBI Special Agent Terry McCaleb goes outside to address the media, but spots the so-called "code murderer" in the crowd. The chase ends after McCaleb suffers a heart attack, but wounds the suspect.
Retired, he lives in a houseboat on the Long Beach bay, but has a second chance at life by receiving the heart of a murder victim. He is approached by Graciella Rivers; her sister, Gloria, was murdered during a robbery; she asks him to solve the case.
McCaleb realizes the victim donated the heart transplanted into him. He has nightmares of the robbery during Gloria's murder. Assembling the events, he learns the murderer called for help before murdering her.
McCaleb defies the advice of his physician, determined to find the murderer with the help of houseboat neighbor Buddy and local Law Enforcement Official Jaye Winston. McCaleb's path leads to several suspects, but dead-ends as he closes-in on the murderer’s identity.
McCaleb realizes Buddy is the murderer. Buddy wanted McCaleb out of retirement so he'll be a hero again after he "saves" his life with the heart transplant. Buddy reveals he kidnapped Graciella and her nephew, Raymond. That sequence ends in a shootout on a fishing boat. After wounding Buddy a second time, Buddy's dying words are "I saved you." McCaleb starts another new life with Graciella and her nephew.
Cast
- Clint Eastwood as Terry McCaleb
- Jeff Daniels as Jasper "Buddy" Noone
- Anjelica Huston as Dr. Bonnie Fox
- Wanda De Jesús as Graciella Rivers
- Tina Lifford as Detective Jaye Winston
- Paul Rodriguez as Detective Ronaldo Arrango
- Dylan Walsh as Detective John Waller
- Rick Hoffman as James Lockridge
- Alix Koromzay as Mrs. Cordell
- Igor Jijikine as Mikhail Bolotov
- Dina Eastwood as Reporter #1
- Beverly Leech as Reporter #2
- Maria Quiban as Gloria Torres
- Brent Hinkley as Cab Driver
Production
Blood Work was filmed in spring 2002 in both Los Angeles and Long Beach, California in 38 days.[1]
Reception
Blood Work received mixed reviews. It has a score of 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, saying it was "a routine, but competently made thriller marred by lethargic pacing". However, A. O. Scott of The New York Times wrote while it was similar to many Eastwood films, "there is something comforting in seeing this old warhorse trot gamely out of the gate for yet another run on familiar turf."[3]
The film was not a box office success, grossing $26.2 million on a budget of $50 million.
References
- Hughes, p.185
- Hughes, p.186
- Times review (registration required)