Clint Eastwood embraced growing older and more fragile in this leisurely paced and thoughtful cop film based on Michael Connelly’s novel. Eastwood himself had grown older and wiser, both as an actor, a producer, and a director. Even though I guessed fairly early on who the killer was and the film ran a little long, this film is about the journey. Paced much like Line of Fire, it also is about the character as much as the crimes, and that, coupled with the charisma of Eastwood, makes this a very good film.

Clint Eastwood is legendary FBI profiler Terry McCaleb. He is tracking a serial killer known as “Code Killer” as this film opens. Leaving Terry messages written in blood at each crime scene, Terry’s prey is enjoying the chase. When McCaleb finally has him within reach during a foot pursuit, Terry suffers a heart attack so massive that only a heart transplant saves his life, forcing his retirement from the Bureau. That’s when the killings stop.

Taking the advice of his cardiologist, Bonnie (Angelica Huston), Terry takes life easy on his boat. Jeff Daniels is excellent as his next door pal, Buddy. Things are going smoothly in the immediate days after the transplant until the darkly beautiful, earthy but sexy Graciella (Wanda De Jesus) shows up wanting the former FBI Agent to look into the murder of her sister. Since it appears to be a random act of violence during a robbery, and Terry has severe doubts as to whether he is even up to such a task, he tries to decline. But empathy for Graciella and the son who no longer has a mother, coupled with his attraction to her, make turning her down problematic. When he discovers the heart beating in his chest belonged to the murdered woman, honor and guilt set him on the trail once again.

Buddy becomes Terry’s sidekick as he slowly gets back up to speed. This is a more mature Eastwood. He shows that Terry realizes he is not the man he might once have been, while at the same time hoping he can get part of what he’s lost back if he can survive the chase. Paul Rodriguez gives a very funny performance as exasperated LA Detective Arrango, who believes Terry should have remained retired, and wants him out of his case. Terry still has connections, however, including the pretty Tina Lifford in a nice role. It is obvious she and Terry had more than a casual relationship in the past and she gives him more leeway than she probably should in his pursuit of justice for his donor’s killer.

Terry begins to have feelings for Graciella and though some critics at the time found Clint’s performance in the brief love scene rather stoic, his reaction — or rather lack of one — at Graciella’s advances in the scene are in keeping with his condition, and the fear about what might happen. He is already having health complications brought on by his investigation. As his old nemesis returns and Terry discovers the reason for all the killings, it complicates matters no end, both investigation-wise, and in his personal life, which have become intertwined.

Eastwood gives a thoughtful performance as an actor and adds some humor and good music as director to round out this entertaining film. His final exchange with someone after a somewhat lengthy chase and confrontation with the killer, end the film on a high note. Like Steve McQueen, Eastwood can elevate a good movie to seem a little better than it is, which is exactly what he does here. Not a fantastic film, but a very, very good one. ( )