Blood Father

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.

Two things to know going in.

The is a Hollywood "resurrection" role -- when an A-list big-name star disappears for a while and then comes back in a role you might not expect.

(They can be fun. Costner did a few and they were all interesting. In Fargo Season 2 Jean Smart came back playing a grandmother in a crime family -- and aced it. Gibson, formerly the "sexiest man on the planet" according to polls, nails his cranky, old, character is this one.)

Second it is not a A-film. The running time (about 90 mins) is the tip-off. So going into it, you expect something different.

Which is what you get.

It is not really an actioner, even though it stars one of the biggest action stars in the biz. And does have a lot of action in it. It is more of a road movie. And it is just quirky enough to keep interest.

If Gibson is good, Erin Moriarty is a revelation. This is her breakout role. You will be seeing her again soon. The script, which is razor sharp, requires her to have play both young/stupid and smart/strong at the same time. A contradictory role that would be be a challenge for an A-list pro. She takes command of the role and becomes unforgettable by her third scene.

Great fun.

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.

Jean-François Richet, French director of the highly acclaimed Mesrine bring to life the titular novel by Peter Craig, who also wrote the screenplays for both Mockingjays and Affleck's The Town. A story about an estranged daughter who's being hunted by the worse kinds has no choice but seek out her father, John Link who happens to be an ex-worse kind himself.

She's a runaway, mixes with the wrong crowd, the dangerous kind and ends up on the run. Link, her father, is an ex-con, recovering alcoholic and is her only hope and possibly she's his only chance of having any paternal responsibility. It's similar to Run All Night where a father will do whatever is absolutely necessary to keep their children alive.

I hope I look as good as Mel Gibson when I'm his age, looking awesome and comfortable with that worn, rugged, tough look still emanating to be a force to be reckoned with. John Link is like an amalgamation of many of Gibson's past characters bearing unintentional similarities to Lethal Weapon's Riggs, Payback's Porter, the gringo and even a little of Mad Max. One thing all these characters share is that Gibson psychotic rage and the controlled calmness he does when the sh*t is hitting not just the fan but everything else.

Kudos to newcomer Erin Moriarty who superbly acts up against Gibson as his endangered, rebellious troubled teen. Having briefly seen her only last month in Captain Fantastic, it's impressive to see her take on a role opposite Gibson. The volatile relationship between the two is captivating enforced by their quick-fire and sometimes amusing dialogue.

There's quite a supporting cast too with legendary Michael Parks, William H. Macy and the usual gang banger Richard Cabral. Parks is brilliant, having a presence of sinister grandeur and Raoul Max Trujillo stars as a Sicario which is a little ironic being that he also starred in last year's Sicario.

The violence is abrasive and abrupt but it's more dramatic with John Link battling and reconnecting with his old demons to secure the safety of his wanted daughter. There's nothing fancy, no spectacular sequences, but that gives the film a better sense of realism. There's a little of annoying shaky cam to begin with but that soon fades.

It's a riveting movie from start to finish and well paced. It's good to see Mel Gibson back on the big screen, and be on such good form too. Fans of the tougher, rougher Gibson shouldn't be disappointed.

Running Time: 9 The Cast: 8 Performance: 9 Direction: 8 Story: 8 Script: 8 Creativity: 8 Soundtrack: 7 Job Description: 8 The Extra Bonus Points: 5 for good ol' Gibson Would I buy the Bluray?: Yes.

78% 8/10

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!