Blood Ties

I just returned from a screening of this film, and I feel the need to say that it was a really pleasing experience.

At first I had some doubts about it since the first reviews I'd read about the film were not too promising. It was supposed to be decent yet too long, and not really compelling. I'm very glad to say that I ignored these and went with my gut feeling to go see it anyway. Thoroughly well executed as well in music score as visual cinematography, the real standout in this one is the fact that it really gets you to understand both sides of the brother's stories. It is really hard to tell who's wrong and who's right by the time you get to the end of the screening. An obvious call as it may seem at first but when the chips fall as they do one might have to reconsider their opinion. The excellence of this movie is the way in which it manages to blend ethical questions, family ties, and personal beliefs in a way that makes perfect sense without wanting to be overly self-aware or condemning. It is and remains a tale of two brother's with diverging paths and beliefs in their respective lives and how they interact with each other and their shared environment. Praise to Clive Owen for portraying his character the way he does, he really fits the part and gives a more real and deeper dimension to the role. Every other actor and actress' portrayal is also quite spot on, and even the 'bad guys' in it feel relatable. It has a long runtime but to me it never felt as such, it doesn't bore and in my opinion its runtime seems necessary to let you see every aspect of the story. A solid character study of two brother's that want to like each other and do so in their own way but struggle with their different views on life and the fine line between right and wrong.

Maybe "Blood Ties" isn't the best film that has been released this year but it's solid both in story as in execution. It certainly deserves better than 'moderate' reviews.

It's 1974 New York. Police detective Frank Pierzynski (Billy Crudup) leads a raid against Anthony Scarfo (Matthias Schoenaerts). They are disappointed by the relatively limited evidence found and Frank reconnects with his ex Vanessa (Zoe Saldana) who is now married to Scarfo. Scarfo awaits his release as his fury grows about Vanessa abandoning him for Frank. Meanwhile, Frank's older criminal brother Chris Pierzynski (Clive Owen) is released after serving twelve years for a revenge killing. His ex-wife Monica (Marion Cotillard) is now a drug-addicted prostitute. He has new girlfriend Natalie (Mila Kunis) and falls back into his criminal ways. He's living with his brother, father Leon (James Caan), and sister Marie (Lili Taylor)

This keeps threatening to be a good period crime thriller. It has the gritty feel and the music. It has a good cast. It has French action director Guillaume Canet. It should be compelling. It never really picks up steam except for one thrilling robbery sequence. While Crudup is solid in this era, Clive Owen is trying very hard to be hard. It's questionable if Owen could ever be that hard. Even in a bar fight where he hits a guy with a bottle, it still ends with a wimpy hold-me-back. I don't believe that he's been in a tough prison for twelve years. There are also a few too many females in the movie. I'm not being sexist. I mean there is at least one unnecessary female connection, not to mention that Lili Taylor has nothing to do other than to yell at the boys. The story narrative is a bit muddled but it figures it out by the time of the shootout. It just doesn't continue it with a compelling brother vs brother narrative. Instead, it gerry-rigs the story to engineer a shocking poetic ending. This movie keeps missing the target whenever it threatens to get good. The parts are all there if not the whole.

On the beginning, I have to admit, that I've never got familiarized with the style both of Guillame Canet and James Gray, probably because barely any of their previous works acquired broad distribution in my country. Hence, while stepping into the cinema room, I didn't know what kind of emotions or thoughts the upcoming movie would release in me. Neither did I know what the movie would be about nor how it was admitted by professional critics. I was sitting on my chair, being curious what values may bring the movie, boasting with appearance of quite astonishing amount of gifted actors. After the showing, the question was partially answered.

While in other movies representing the genre there is one character the story focuses around, here we have two, both standing on the opposite sides of the law: the notorious criminal, who, having spent a long-term sentence in jail, is being released and his younger brother, Frank, turned out to be a devoted policeman. The past and social positions occupied by both of brothers are sources of the tension growing between Chris and Frank, which is especially visible in the attitude of the police officer. However, he has the feeling of being partially responsible for the path his brother has taken. In the childhood period, Frank failed Chris, which resulted in his first jail sentence.

The whole situation is being observed by third party characters, the most interesting of which is a prostitute performed by Marion Cotillard. Climbing on peaks of her acting skills, the actress successfully presents a wreck, that believes in no chances on brighter future, even while being a mother of two Chris' children. In opposition to her, the rest of those observers fails to attract any attention. Even while having such great actors like James Caan or Lily Taylor, Canet and Gray do not know how to connect their characters with the story, not to mention about Mila Kunis. Her character just exist in the movie's world.

I have the feeling, however, that the screenwriters put enough effort to present the main plot in a satisfactory way, being supported by two great actors. Despite the conflict between two brothers, viewers can sense that there is still a thin bond between them, even though Frank urgently tries to conceal it. All scenes between them are well paced and written. Confrontation of muffled Billy Crudup with impulsive Clive Owen gave an interesting result - it's the former convict, that through his attempts to fix the situation acquires our sympathy more than the cold policeman.

I'm not gonna praise the movie's capacity to convey the 70's atmosphere, because this feature has become common. However, what needs to mentioned about are dialogues. They are juicy and full of vulgarisms, that perfectly give the viewer a notion about the social environment the movie tells about. The presented world is devoid of any kind of beauty.

After all, I accept the vision presented by Guillame Canet and James Gray. In spite of it's flaws, the movie presents the main plot in enough absorbing way to attract viewers. There is a tie between me and this movie, even though it is not as strong as it should be.

IF YOU EXPECT THIS TO BE A CLASSIC Hollywood GANGSTER MOVIE, YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED! It's not, it's way more than that, it's almost entirely based on the characters development. As the movie unfolds, we learn more and more about the lives of the two brothers, and the circumstances in which they keep finding each other, which makes it very hard for them to connect on a brotherly level. The actors play their roles to perfection, very believable, specially Clive Owen and Marion Cotillard. The cast is exceptional and bring out the essence of the period. I really enjoyed this movie from beginning to end, and I'm glad it wasn't action based. I didn't find the 2 hours long like some of the viewers, although I understand it's not for everybody who usually expect more dynamical plot from a 70's movie.

(66%) A very convincing in terms of period detail crime drama featuring a solid cast and a decent character based story that satisfies through its toe- tapping soundtrack. Clive Owen has a truly fine on-screen presence and he's really great in this, and because he and everyone else are also good, along with the few nice bits of gripping and intense action, meaning that the undebatable flaws in the script, and a couple of minor issues here and there don't really matter that much. This will likely get seen by about half as many people than it deserves, but despite that, and for Mr Clive Owen especially, this is worth a very nostalgic trip to the cinema.