When I saw that this movie was available on instant streaming last night, I suggested to Mike that we watch it. We had both seen it before. It is a flawed movie, but I have great affection for it.
Here is a quick recap of the film: it's a thriller. It's a whodunit. The main character is an FBI man, Terry McCaleb, (Clint Eastwood). The movie starts with his collapse. His heart gives out while pursuing a killer. The movie then fast forwards to McCaleb, now retired, living in a houseboat community. He is sought out by a woman (Wanda DeJesus) who informs him that he has her sister's heart. She was murdered the night that he received his transplant. She asks him to find the murderer.
There are really horrible action sequences in this movie. They are cringeworthy and the only way I can get through them is by picking up the phone and studying IMDB data when they are occurring. But I don't really care, because there's so much I love about this movie. I love Clint Eastwood's gentleness in this part, his intelligence, his dedication to his work, his stubbornness. I love the goofiness of Jeff Daniels in his role as Buddy, McCaleb's neighbor in this houseboat community who's available for hire as McCaleb's chauffeur. I love the women in this movie. They're strong and interesting. I love that the main character has a physical weakness. It is rare in a movie that the hero has an ailment. They don't even have sore backs. They can jump off buildings and run without a limp. I love it that his condition is an integral part of the film. This is a movie I could watch again and again.
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