True Blood

This is an amazing movie. Albeit a little "warriors" for a random made for TV movie it is worth checking out! A hidden gem, and an accurate portrayal of gang life in NYC at the time.

Sure you get the required car chases and explosions, but you also get a fine cast, interesting characters, and above average acting for this type of movie. There is also some sharp dialog and humor. Chad Lowe and Jeff Fahey play brothers who have issues, after being separated for ten years. Sherilyn Fenn is a waitress who helps them avoid the law, and an old enemy, Billy Drago. Everything moves along at a fast enough pace, and the characters are well developed. The New York locations work, and there are even some genuinely tense moments. If you go into this low budget action film with realistic expectations, it will not disappoint. - MERK

This movie is like the material S.E. Hinton was writing in the 1970s and Copola was adapting to the screen in the early 80s, and, had Trueblood actually been a product of either, the results might've been much better (especially in the acting department). Instead, we get a rather so-bad-its-funny piece of mediocrity.

Jeff Fahey plays Ray Trueblood, a former street rumbler, I suppose is the accurate description. This was in the days of action movies that used guys in their 40s and mid30s and dressed them up in greaser threads or some kind of more effeminate selection of gang garb and they fought to lousy 80s music. Nonetheless, Ray is the lone caretaker of his younger brother, Donny (Chad Lowe in a part where he screams a lot), who he is forced to leave behind inexplicably in a train station when, on the run from the cops, he is nabbed and forced to serve time in the Marines. Flash forward to present day and Ray is back in town and looking for his brother who has also become part of the street gangs, although in a gang that was Ray's adversary and now old scores must be violently settled (and again, cops must be dodged and this time, a lady's honor defended in the action film sense) before Ray can carry on life at normal pace with his brother, Donny.

For the most part, the film is quite ridiculous. For me, most of this has to do with far too much overacting, although not by Fahey or Sherlyn Fenn who plays the waitress he befriends. The guys in the gang and Lowe himself seem to do quite a bit of needless exaggerated as New York street toughs. Although, the bigger hang up is recycled plot lines and perhaps a kind of movie that was well past its prime as a product of 1989.

Fahey is good. The story moves along all right. I wasn't crazy about Chad Lowe as Fahey's younger brother or Billy Draggo who goes reeeaaallly over the top as the bad guy here. Its the kind of performance that's very love it or hate it, and i didn't love it to be sure. I did like James Tolkan as the perennially grudge holding cop tho. The story is that Fahey as a young guy is in a gang, he ends up killing a cop (accidently) Tolkan as that cop's partner carries a grudge that lasts ten whole years as Fahey runs away, joins the army leaving his younger brother behind to grow up in the company of the gang bangers he ran away from....Fahey comes back to town basically to try and reclaim his brother whom he deserted, and well understandably his brother isn't full of warm and fuzzy feelings at seeing his big brother again. Can Fahey convince him to quit gang life and come with him away from the city? Does it really matter? Also Billy Draggo is the gang leader whom supposedly raised younger brother Chad Lowe while Fahey was away, but you know Draggo is crazy so that probably wasn't the best idea there Fahey. Anyways, its watchable enough as you see Fahey try to reconnect with his brother, and try to atone to James Tolkan for causing the death of his long ago partner (which Tolkan is not having!) but its not a good movie....its all mawkish, except for the scenes where Draggo is chewing scenery and venting his rage at Fahey for daring to step back into the town that he now owns! Again i didn't really care for Draggo's over the top performance here but whatever your mileage may vary.

It's hard not to like Billy Drago if you like the psycho types. He's at the top of his form in this one, complete with a scar.

Check out Billy Drago's filmography if you want a list of R-rated fare: Hunter's Blood is a good example, and you will also enjoy Guncrazy, Vamp and Death Game.

True Blood has a lot of ups and downs, and it's probably not one you'll watch more than once or twice, but once or twice is enough to enjoy it completely.

Sherilyn Fenn is beautiful.

A young Jeff Fahey is interesting to watch, even if he doesn't really come off as the leader of an urban gang. The interaction between him and is brother (Chad Lowe) has some serious pathos.