MOVIE - BLOODWORK - Review Rating $$$$$ (OUT OF 10)

STARRING - CLINT EASTWOOD, JEFF DANIELS, WANDA DE JESUS, ANJELICA HUSTON, TINA LIFFORD, PAUL RODRIGUEZ & DYLAN WALSH

Eastwood plays retired FBI profiler, Terry McCaleb, who while recovering from heart transplant surgery feels compelled to investigate the murder of the donor of his new heart.

I'm a big fan of Eastwood and was hoping this movie would have the grit and intensity of his past efforts. This is a role that Clint can play in his sleep. Unfortunately, Eastwood appears to be doing just that, sleep walking through the entire film. It may be that being the director and producer, as well as starring in the project, distracted him (though he has done that before...See Greg's Previews).

The real problem with the movie, is the very weak script, which itself is in need of a transplant. Based on the book by Micheal Connelly, which I haven't read, Screenwriter Brian Helgeland (L.A. Confidential) provides us with a host of supporting characters that are cardboard cutouts with cheeky dialogue. The script handicaps the actors, so badly, that even the talented Anjelica Huston doesn't seem convincing. The serial killer, a potential gold mine of psychological intrigue, is for the most part unexplored. It's hard to portray a character that is so underdeveloped.

Bloodwork is also very slowly paced. While this technique can be used, to build intensity, no one's pulse is going to increase watching this film. Instead of relishing, the unraveling of the plot, I began to drool over the possibility that the movie was almost over. There are no surprises in this highly contrived story that is very loosely based on a true story. Readers, of The Hardy Boy's mysteries, will have no problem solving this one early on.

The only real bright spot is, a scene set in an interrogation room, early in the film.

Bloodwork's movie heart doesn't pump strongly enough to earn a recommendation.

Alternate Reviews:

http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/wkp-news-blood09f.html

http://www.rollingstone.com/mv_reviews/review.asp?mid=2044298

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/BloodWork-1115601/

Official Website:

http://bloodworkmovie.warnerbros.com/home.html

MY TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2002 LIST

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