Sangre de mi sangre

When we first meet John Link, Mel Gibson's grizzled ex-con anti-hero in his latest thriller Blood Father, he's in the midst of an impassioned soliloquy at an AA meeting. A self-proclaimed "real success story," Link is a recovering alky two years out of the slammer, whose wife left him and whose daughter is in the wind, leaving him with no one in his corner and with no one to blame but himself. It's a fitting noir-esque introduction to Link, but also—perhaps more appropriately, especially as he's talking straight at the camera when he says it—it seems to be coming from Gibson himself.

Directed by Jean-François Richet, who helmed 2008's gripping gangster diptych Mesrine, Blood Father seems at first glance to be another addition to the tried-and-true Gibson formula: a brutal guy on the wrong side of the tracks takes on those who wronged him, often in typically gruesome fashion. Certainly, John Link could be blood brothers with Porter and Driver, Gibson's violent protagonists from Payback and Get the Gringo. Living on the fringe of society while scratching out a living as a tattoo artist from his grungy desert trailer, Link is as blunt and terse as his monosyllabic name would suggest. The difference is that Blood Father feels like Gibson confronting the demons that put him and his career on the skids over the last decade. His performance feels like penance, and not in a negative way. Gibson's mainstay has always been passion—in both definitions of the word—and here he bares himself to the bone.

Link's efforts to stay on the straight and narrow are complicated by the cataclysmic arrival of his wayward daughter Lydia (Erin Moriarty). Strung-out and on the run from a bunch of bad customers, Lydia's presence puts her father on an inexorable course towards violence—which, of course, he excels at dishing out. And true to form for a Mel Gibson joint, there is no shortage of it: once the blood starts flowing and the bullets start flying, it's hard to stop.

Gibson's trademark wild-man intensity is in full froth here, and it's always a welcome sight to behold, even if it's been in otherwise subpar productions or against lesser actors. For the most part, fortunately, Blood Father isn't pigeonholed in either category. While some of the dialogue sounds more than a little ponderous (Lydia spends much of the film spitting out sheaves of insight with such precision that you'd think she were a Sorkinian heroine instead of, well, someone who snorts heroin), the rest of it is balanced in taut, punchy lines that would make Hemingway proud. And unlike Get the Gringo, which featured Gibson at the top of his game making his co-stars look downright amateurish, he's bolstered by some reliable names this go-around: among them, William H. Macy as Link's good-natured AA sponsor and Michael Parks as a seedy old contact from his past. In fact, the only real weak link of the cast is Moriarty, whose erratic performance is far too self-conscious and unconvincing for us to really care about her plight. It's only through Gibson that we care (and to his credit, he does and we do).

Much of Blood Father is a foregone conclusion, all the way up to its bullet-riddled finale. And while the film rarely evinces an inspired note, it's still a good potboiler, and there's nothing wrong with a well-worn story if it's well-told. But with an actor like Gibson at the fore, it becomes something more personal. Blood Father's about a man facing old sins and the grim reckoning that comes with them. And every single one of Mad Mel's is on full display here.

I'm old enough to have watched all the Lethal Weapon's at the theater. They were some of the best action/buddy movies I've ever seen. Mel Gibson is a great actor. He reinvented the tough guy. He's got a persona that few have on the big silver screen. The fact that Hollywood turned their back on him is nothing short of a crime. Well - he's back and he's doing what he does best - and I for one am thankful. I just recently saw another movie he's done called "Get the Gringo". Another amazing movie steeped in great dialog, action and classic Gibson lines and scenes.

This movie is every father's nightmare. A child or yours has gotten themselves intertwined with some pretty bad dudes and you're the only person that can fix it. Gibson delivers on all levels - providing a character that isn't completely foreign - but new enough to be interesting and engaging. William H. Macy as always delivers some great scenes - and the only disappointment was the lack of on-screen time devoted to Macy and Gibson's character development. Short - but effective. Erin Moriarty was a breath of fresh air - and her character and acting worked well with Gibson's.

This movie is classic Gibson. Great dialog, story and acting. 8 out of 10!

Pretty fitting role for this man right? A recovering alcoholic... Pretty certain Mel was as drunk as a skunk when he committed career suicide lambasting Jewish people, and everything else under the sun. Fast forward a decade later, and I ask myself has he been humbled... Seen his evil ways and has now returned to us born again? In recovery? I don't know. What I do know is Mel Gibson has always owned anti-hero roles like this. He was good at them back then, and apparently a decade later he still is.

So... This film kicks ass. It has heart. It hits all of the right notes for a Father revenge flick, and his performance hits all of these notes way way better than a movie like Taken. This film is well worth a watch, and I can't decide whether I should feel guilty or happy about this.

I guess it all depends on whether this guy is still a jerk, or has woken the hell up. Ultimately though, what does it really matter? We have this thing in our society where celebrities have to be likable acceptable public figures, like politicians, or they're kicked to the curb. When really what does it matter? They're just actors doing a job. They could be a jerk and a great actor, or a saint and an awful actor. It really just relates to the caliber of their work, and I have to say, whether he is the former or the latter, he nailed this role like he did so often back in the day with other roles like this--back when everyone liked him.

Pretty good movie...

It was so refreshing for me, and I am sure for many other people, to see in this film the re birth of this such great actor and director Mel Gibson. His performance in this film reminds me the one he had six years ago in EDGE OF DARKNESS. Nearly the same topic with a lost father in search of his daughter, or in avenging her death. In both features, Mel Gibson is at his top. And I am also pleased that this latest film was made by a French director, already guilty of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, back ten years ago. I won't mention the MESRINE films. Not for foreseeable plot and also a bit depressing, although not totally clichés ridden. But it remains an excellent crime flick. I really hope that Mel Gibson will rapidly be back to the top.

Although Blood Father does not bring anything new to the table in terms of storytelling, it manages to provide decent entertainment by taking advantage of its filming locations, a good cast and somewhat interesting, although undeveloped, lead characters.

Link (Mel Gibson) is an ex-con turned tattoo artist and former alcoholic who lives a reasonably quiet life in a trailer park home. One day, he receives a phone call from his daughter, Lydia, who has gone missing for many years, and who's seeking help, as drug dealers and law enforcement are trying to track her down. Sounds familiar? It probably does. It's a very classic story, and make no mistake about it, this tale is quite typical of the genre. I would even go as far as to say that story-wise, this film is sub-par and plot development is almost nonexistent. Add an anticlimactic and abrupt ending, and an almost shameful use of pretty interesting supporting characters, one has to wonder what Blood Father really has to offer.

The answer is an overall pretty good time, despite its flaws, thanks to sympathetic characters, above-average dialogue for the genre, some gritty moments, very welcome touches of humor and great cinematography. Jean-François Richet, who directed the biographical films about Jacques Mesrine, does a pretty good job too.

Again, it's a shame to make such little use of Kirby (William H. Macy) and Preacher (Michael Parks), but their presence is appreciated while it lasts. The Sicario character's first appearance is blood chilling, but unfortunately, the character's mystique evaporates from lack of screen time and further significant appearances. Mel Gibson is perfect in his role and Erin Moriarty (Lydia) is pretty good as well. The chemistry between both characters is tangible, and the generational clash sub-theme is subtle, but interesting nonetheless. Moreover, there are a few sequences, such as the first scene at the store and the scene when Link and Lydia are in the back of a truck filled with illegal Mexican immigrants, where the film humorously takes aim at some absurdities, such as a minor buying boxes of ammo without being asked for her ID, but being denied a pack of cigarettes because she's underage, or Lydia countering her dad's argument that illegal Mexican immigrants are "stealing" fruit-picking jobs from white Americans.

While the film offers some nice set-pieces, as a sequence of events, Blood Father's script does not profit from the best possible dramatic continuity, and ultimately falls short on delivering any truly memorable moment whatsoever. In that regard, the writing feels very uneven, as it delivers in the dialogue department, but lacks truly interesting ideas or ingenuity story-wise.

That being said, its qualities are likely to draw you in for its hour and a half runtime, and should manage to entertain anyone who likes this type of flick.