BLOOD WORK (DVD/P&S) DVD

Blood Work
A retired detective must battle former colleagues and his own failing health in order to bring a murderer to justice in this action drama produced and directed by its star, Clint Eastwood. Terry McCaleb (Eastwood) was one of the best and most thorough detectives at the FBI's Southern California office, until a massive heart attack sidelined him from police work for good. Following a heart transplant which saved his life, McCaleb has resigned himself to living quietly on a houseboat for the rest of his days, observing a strict health regimen prescribed by his cardiologist, Dr. Bonnie Fox (Anjelica Huston). However, McCaleb is persuaded to take on one last case through the insistence of a woman named Graciela Rivers (Wanda De Jesus). Rivers's sister was murdered in cold blood by a mugger, and her heart was used for McCaleb's transplant; now, Rivers wants McCaleb to find her sister's killer. McCaleb agrees to take on the case, but he quickly discovers his weakened physical condition makes the rigors of handling an investigation far harder and more difficult than its ever been before; he also can no longer drive a car, and must persuade his oddball friend from the marina,Buddy Noone (Jeff Daniels), to ferry him around town. 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 (Paul Rodriguez) and John Waller (Dylan Walsh), the police detectives assigned to the case, are not especially interested in sharing the glory (or their legwork) with the former FBI point man. Blood Work was adapted from the novel by Michael Connelly; Brian Helgeland wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Cast Clint Eastwood as Terry McCaleb Jeff Daniels as Buddy Noone Anjelica Huston as Dr. Bonnie Fox Wanda De Jesus as Graciella Rivers Tina Lifford as Det. Jaye Winston Paul Rodriguez as Ronaldo Arrango Dylan Walsh as Detective John Waller Mason Lucero as Raymond Gerry Becker as Mr. Toliver Rick Hoffman as James Lockridge Alix Koromzay as Mrs. Cordell Igor Jijikine as Bolotov

Crew Jack Gammon Taylor, Jr. - Art Director Phyllis Huffman - Casting Judie G. Hoyt - Co-producer Deborah Hopper - Costume Designer Robert Lorenz - First Assistant Director Clint Eastwood - Director Joel Cox - Editor Robert Lorenz - Executive Producer Lennie Niehaus - Composer (Music Score) Henry Bumstead - Production Designer Tom Stern - Cinematographer Clint Eastwood - Producer Jann K. Engel - Set Designer Adrian H. Gorton - Set Designer Walt Martin - Sound/Sound Designer Harry Cohen - Sound/Sound Designer Brian Helgeland - Screenwriter Michael Owens - Visual Effects Supervisor Alan Robert Murray - Supervising Sound Editor Camille Geier - Visual Effects Producer Robert Cable - First Assistant Accountant Gary D. Roach - First Assistant Editor Michael Cipriano - First Assistant Editor Christi Rickey - Set Production Assistant Donald A Kincade - Set Production Assistant Robert "T Skaggs - Set Production Assistant Chuck Webb - Set Production Assistant Richard C. Goddard - Set Decorator Michael Connelly - Book Author Juno J. Ellis - ADR Supervisor Ross Levy - Cable Person Shelly Kinney - Construction Foreman Kenny Sanford - Construction Foreman Mo Henry - Negative Cutter Jenniphur Ryan - Production Secretary William Barry - Swing Gang Sandra Armstrong-Renfroe - Swing Gang Bradley Blasdale - Swing Gang Luigi S. Mugavero - Swing Gang Charles Nixon - Swing Gang Michael Rutgard - Swing Gang Nancy Tracy - Second Assistant Sound Editor

Blood Work
When the deconstructive Western Unforgiven brought Clint Eastwood unprecedented respect, it was tempting to hope the newly minted auteur would reserve himself for superior projects and artistic themes close to his heart. What an appropriate metaphor for his career, then, that Eastwood's latest, Blood Work, is about a transplant of that essential organ. It's as though what makes Eastwood tick has been supplanted by a foreign presence his body can't reject, leaving him content to toe the (assembly) line and glumly perpetuate his Absolute Power-True Crime school of pedestrian thrillers. It's also tempting to suggest that this aging treasure of tough guy machismo has "still got it," but Blood Work returns quite the opposite verdict. Eastwood is finally starting to look fragile and elderly -- in fact, thank goodness his character is weak following major surgery, because it provides a narrative explanation why the actor's voice is more gasp than rasp. But Blood Work is depressing in so many ways that aren't traceable to Eastwood's frailties. Tops on the list is the utter conventionality of the script, which follows the familiar path of the umpteen thrillers in which serial killers taunt celebrity FBI agents for the purpose of aggrandizing and fetishizing their crimes. Brian Helgeland has fallen far from his days as writer of L. A. Confidential if this soap opera dialogue and ham-fisted foreshadowing is all he can muster. The tone is schizophrenic, caught between the misplaced gravity of Eastwood's recent films, the ludicrous renegade posturing of his Dirty Harry days, and a cops-and-donuts style of comedy (embodied by pesky irritant Paul Rodriguez) that was never fashionable. Long before the laughable finish, the test results of this Blood Work have already come back negative. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

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General Specifications: Language Options: English, French Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: cc Making Blood Work takes you to the heart of the film's production A conversation in Spanish with Clint Eastwood, Wanda De Jesús and Paul Rodriguez (with English subtitles) Interactive menus Theatrical trailer & teaser Star/director/Writer film highlights Scene access Languages: English & Français Subtitles: English, Français & Español DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 110 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Catch Me 2. End of the Chase 3. Circle Around the Heart 4. Graciella Rivers 5. Donuts With Friends 6. Not the First Time 7. Observations 8. The Cordell Case 9. ATM Activity 10. Fever Dream 11. No Choice 12. Bolotov Plays Rough 13. What's the Average? 14. A Souvenir 15. Feeling Connected 16. Like Stalking 17. For the Full Ride 18. Blood Tie 19. Losses and Gains 20. Matter of Timing 21. Shooting Up the Valley 22. Grim Discovery 23. All Except One 24. Night Companions 25. They're Both Back 26. The Following Sea 27. Freighter Prison 28. Armed and Deadly 29. Ramming Speed 30. Not Needed 31. Having Someone 32. End Credits