Blood Ties (I) (2013) User Reviews (65)

gritty film set in '70s NYC with some great acting and a derivative plot

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 27 August 2016]

"Blood Ties" is a remake of the 2008 film "Rivals" which starred this movie's director, Guillaume Canet. James Caan, one of the stars of this film, helped him infuse the translation with some New York lingo.

The movie is set in the '70s, with Chris (Clive Owen) just being released from prison after 12 years. His brother Frank (Billy Crudup) is a police officer who lets him stay at his place and helps Chris get a job. In one of the first scenes, the boys' father (James Caan) is released from the hospital after having a lung removed. He is being cared for by their sister Marie (Lili Taylor).

Chris doesn't keep his job, but he does get a girlfriend out of it (Mila Kunis). He has no money so he reverts to crime again. Apparently his years in prison have made him a ruthless killer. When Frank recognizes him at a brutal robbery of an armored truck, his own career is threatened.

Frank, meanwhile, is still in love with Vanessa (Zoe Saldana), whom he parted ways with, and she accuses him of stalking her. And Chris' ex-wife (Marion Cotillard) turns tricks; she wants money from him, supposedly for child support, but he knows it's for drugs.

This is the age-old story of two brothers, one (Frank) who grew up adoring Chris, who traveled to the wrong side of the tracks at an early age, and the decisions they must make as adults as they try to get their lives together.

The family dynamics are terrific and ring true, with Marie and her father desperately wanting the brothers to get along and the family to be back together; meanwhile, Frank and Chris fight verbally and physically. James Caan gives a wonderful performance as a frail, sick man who has trouble expressing his emotions. His scene with Frank is especially touching.

The acting overall is excellent from this fine cast. Clive Owen and Billy Crudup are two favorites of mine, and both play the different aspects of their characters beautifully. Crudup has the more difficult role, torn between his love for his brother and his work. As Chris, Owen is a pragmatic sociopath. He goes out and gets what he wants without any qualms of conscience, attempting to manipulate Frank with a little grin. All that brings them together is their love for their father and sister, but it's not enough and it's too late.

This movie made next to no money and played only 28 theaters. It's not the most earth-shattering film you'll ever see, and parts are on the slow side, but it definitely deserved being seen by a wider audience and have better marketing. It's a shame that the fine work these people did was seen by so few. Perhaps as a rental it will do better.

Can blood ties prevail on both sides of the law?

[submarine1977 · 6/10 · 23 November 2014]

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.

Unremarkable, yet enjoyable slice of 70's cool.

[adamscastlevania2 · 7/10 · 21 August 2014]

(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.

threatens to be good

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 27 August 2018]

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.

classy crime thriller

[achyutaghosh · 7/10 · 18 April 2014]

Blood is thicker than water is a proverb that might be out of place in today's independent, and nuclear world. But the same is the heart and soul of French-American crime thriller Blood Ties. The movie itself is a remake of the 2008 French movie, Les IIens du sang by Jacques Maillot, which in turn is an adaptation of a French novel by Bruno and Michel Papet.

Two brothers on the opposite sides of the law is a plot done to death, and almost invariably the brothers fatefully clash in a bitter end. Not so in Blood Ties. On being released from prison, Chris tries to lead a straight life, but is unable to do so, and soon goes back to his criminal roots. This impacts his police brother Frank, but when faced with a choice between his brother and his career, Frank, in a twist from generic plots, chooses the former. The feeling is mutual, till the end.

Blood Ties may not be a breakthrough movie in itself, but it is powerful cinema nonetheless. Requires some patience as the plot builds up. The setting is the hippie 70s, with big muscle cars, sideburns, cocaine, and racism dotting the canvas. The eclectic cast consisting of Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Marion Cottiliard, Mila Kunis, James Caan, Noah Emmerich, Zoe Saldana is on song. The carefully chosen musical track adds to the experience.

Even though there are the customary car chases, bank robberies, and murders, this is not a big bang popcorn action flick. Rather a measured crime drama, with realistic violence. Enjoyable when you are in the mood for quality cinema- 7/10

Could have been a classic

[Hurry_up_N_buy · 6/10 · 29 April 2014]

All the ingredients were there and the whole time watching it, I was rooting for this to be an intense, potentially "epic" '70s crime movie, and at first, it FELT like it could easily be just that, and then comes some contrived plot devices that bring you back into present day.

I won't spoil anything though, read the summary for a summary. The movie easily captures the '70s with its set pieces and locations and even gives you the feel of a movie made in that era. There are moments of brilliance that come in the form of suspenseful buildups, great direction, and editing and score work that turns some scene transitions into awesomeness. With a 2 hour running time, I had no issues with it feeling long or boring. The acting is impressive on all accounts (some chemistry could be a bit weird though) and for about the first hour I was engaged and feeling, 'wow, if they could just keep this up,' and then of course, unfortunately, they don't.

At some point some things just start to feel like their just being tossed in. I think one of its main problems is that the only real character development is placed on the two leads, so you can empathize when it calls for it and understand why the leads feel and act as they do, but only towards each other, and not always in the context of their interactions with supporting characters. The story calls for enough twists and turns that there is no room to do much developing with the supporting characters and this causes certain situations to happen rather abruptly or seem forced in order to get to the next stage. This could all be easily overlooked if it didn't happen so often (and at critical moments) and continually cause me to lose my suspension of disbelief while viewing an, otherwise, very well made movie.

Problems with plot are highly subjective so I still recommend this and am sure people will find what they were looking for, I ALMOST did. 6.5/10

Powerful

[searchanddestroy-1 · 1 November 2013]

I can say right now that I prefer this film to the original, the french film made in 2008: LES LIENS DU SANG, starring Guillaume Canet, the film maker of this very one.

Yes a powerful crime drama movie, with outstanding characterization and story telling. The scheme itself has already been shown before, in may other features, but here the screen play emphasizes on the relations between characters. There is no real villain here; even the Mathias Schoenheart's one, who plays here the ex con whose the cop has "stolen" the wife from. If you analyse the scheme, it appears that this "bad character at first sight" may on the contrary bring the audience to feel empathy towards him.

The sub characters are also efficiently shown, in a poignant way, and there are may of them.

Guillaume Canet is a really good director, even away from France.

Great Acting in a Solid Drama - TIFF Review by ReelScreenReviews

[reelscreenreviews · 7/10 · 23 September 2013]

********This Review May Contain Spoilers******** This crime drama and period piece will open soon enough I'm sure and it stars one of my all-time favorite actors in Clive Owen, and joining him on screen are Billy Crudup, Mila Kunis, Marion Cotillard, Zoe Saldana, Lili Taylor, and James Caan. "Blood Ties" comes to us from director Guillaume Canet, and he is the previous director of "Little White Lies" & the brilliant "Tell No One" from 2006. I just love the film "Tell No One" and it was very cool meeting the director, and sitting in on his Q & A following the screening.

This tale tells the story of family and specifically of two brothers in Brooklyn, and how these two people of the same blood line couldn't be more different if they were from separate planets. The younger brother Frank has grown up to become one of New York City's Finest, and his older brother Chris lives and breathes on the opposite side of the law and has become a career criminal. They both have love interests and children that add to the family drama, but it is the family of organized crime that it the strongest bond between these two brothers.

Well people I will begin with this ensemble cast and to one solid actor in Clive Owen. This man commands the big screen with just a look, and his rugged sex appeal makes him connect even more with the audience. Now what is shocking in his portrayal of Chris is his cold-freakin-bloodedness, and as the film progresses he never redeems himself or falters from this life of crime. Bill Crudup's turn as Frank is a very nice complement to Owen's Chris, and his sensitive, righteous, and vulnerable portrayal gives "Blood Ties" the moral compass that it needs. Now even though Frank is the better of the two brothers he himself is not without faults, and let's just say that he is less than admirable when it comes to acquiring his own love interest.

Now unfortunately because of time constraints and also because of the size of the cast I can only briefly cover the rest of the on screen players. Both Zoe Saldana & Mila Kunis are more than simple love interests and both at least bring to life real characters, and even though James Caan really isn't in the movie all that much he is very effective when he is on the big screen. Marion Cotillard once again tackles a role that she has never tackled before and comes off above average as she usually does, and even bit players like "The Soprano's" John Ventimiglia & "The Wire's" Domenick Lombardozzi manage to bring substance to this feature.

This takes me to director Guillaume Canet and you could see and feel his passion for the look & tone of the 1970's. Everything in "Blood Ties" from the soundtrack, to the costumes, the props, and especially to the cars were spot-on perfect, and added all up these elements made up almost a character all its own. Canet also worked brilliantly with his frequent director of photography Christophe Offenstien, and together they put on display a beautiful New York City decades long since passed. The DOP also captures correctly the interior shots and again brings authenticity to these smaller moments as well.

Then the entire family theme of "Blood Ties" worked well for me. Now the moments of sincerity are few and far between, but they are very effective when used. I also very much enjoyed the scenes in the film where the entire family was together at dinner or for a family function, and those were the film's best moments because the acting is so darn good that the scenes just feel genuine and realistic.

Now as much as I did enjoy "Blood Ties" there are more than a few 'Nick-Picking' issues to go over. The first and biggest issue with this film is that it is almost 2 ½ hours in length. For as much as I can complement the directing and visual style of the filmmaker, as the screenwriter he should've just gotten to the point a whole lot sooner. Some spots in this movie reminded me of a Tarantino or Apatow script where the scenes just go on & on, and I believe that these guys love their own writing more than anyone else. Extra sub-plots that are decidedly unnecessary could've easily been eliminated, and by doing so would've lead to a much tighter feature. The movie also followed some typical stereotypes and this was one of the few spots where the project felt completely unoriginal. There was also much homage paid to Scorsese, Friedkin, & Coppola…maybe a little too much than needed. Finally, why can't people ever just get away with it? Why does something always come up that has to ruin it? I don't know, I guess that you wouldn't have a movie otherwise?

At just shy of 2 ½ hours"Blood Ties" was an above average film, but the length is its biggest flaw. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole "Angels with Dirty Faces" theme surrounded by "Mean Streets" & "The French Connection", and with the ensemble put together in this film how could you really fail? This was a project that to me was very much an example of many coming together for the benefit of the project or film, and I think that you could tell that all involved actually cared about the movie. This tale builds to a very satisfying conclusion, and I enjoyed most of this one almost start to finish. Nick's Reel Screen Review is a solid recommendation of 3 stars out of 4, and that's for the flawed but entertaining crime drama "Blood Ties".

a tale of two brothers

[dme3-624-956960 · 8/10 · 3 November 2013]

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.

Captures the grit of NYC in the 1970's

[toddg-473-289818 · 7/10 · 1 August 2015]

Blood Ties tells the story of two brothers, one cop and one convict, making their way through their dysfunctional lives in the early 1970's. Director Guillaume Canet gives the audience an unabashed view of what life looked like then, including the bad hair, tacky clothes, and even the awful paint colors on most interior walls. He observes, rather than explains, and lets the viewer absorb the uncomfortable interactions between the characters, rather than force those moments onto those watching. He even incorporates music of the period into the story, in a Scorsese like way.

Clive Owen plays Chris, who is just released from prison and is having hard time adapting back into society, trying to keep on the straight and narrow and not violate the terms of his parole. This is not helped by the allure of getting sucked back into the world of violent crime, as many of the people he runs into in the real world are criminals and/or ex cons. Adding to his stresses are his cold ex-wife, played by Marion Cotillard, who demands years of back child support payments soon after Chris's release. Having seen Owen in mostly strict dramatic roles, this role, while also dramatic, gives Owen a chance to smile a bit, exploring a range of emotions and embracing his inner rebel, reminiscent of a Nicholas Cage.

On the flip side of the family, Billy Crudup plays Chris's brother Frank, a cop trying to reconnect with his ex, played by Zoe Saldana. His life is difficult as well, with a somewhat meek personality not particularly suited for law enforcement, and trying to help Chris fit back into the real world. The cast is rounded out by James Caan, playing the brothers' ailing dad, and Mila Kunis, playing Chris's young love interest.

The expectation of this movie should be set in that the audience is watching a drama, not an action or cops-and-robbers movie. Having said that, I found Crudup's performance understated, but that may have been the vibe that director Canet was looking for.

Very middle of the road and ultimately quite dull wannabe crime epic

[GrassCrown · 4/10 · 18 April 2014]

The cast of Blood Ties is impressive enough. Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, James Caan, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana and Marion Cotillard is an impressive collection of talent but I'm not sure if any of them is terribly convincing in their roles. Crudup and Owen didn't really have the kind of chemistry on the screen you'd expect from brothers. There's really no bad acting here but nothing great or memorable either, just average. It was kind of funny seeing Jamie Hector (Marlo from the Wire) as a cop, a bit of a miscast because it was too distracting.

The plot didn't provide any surprises and it was very generic. The central idea is as old as it gets: Two brothers, one a criminal and the other a cop. We've seen this before, haven't we? I was just about interested for the first hour but I became increasingly bored when it hit me how dry and tedious the whole thing started to look. There's nothing new, edgy or clever about this script really and it lacks energy and flow. The running time was a bit too long for this kind of film and the pacing suffers as a result. It wants to be an epic crime drama but ultimately fails at this.

Cinematography felt "normal", whatever that means. I guess it achieved that 70's grainy feel successfully. The few action scenes were quite well done and they had some zest. Too bad you I really didn't care about the characters because the whole thing just felt so bland overall. I think the film makers didn't want to take any risks with the movie because everything was just so average down the line.

Excellent movie to watch.

[doclee32 · 8/10 · 16 April 2014]

Love the movie. One of the best movies I have seen. Excellent story and good screenplay to go with it. However, need to be patient to follow the story line effectively through. Not a simple straightforward story which we usually see in movies. Good family crime drama. It is a thriller reaching the climax at the end. Like the ending too. The starting and the ending of the story blend together very well. In fact all the actors and actresses portrayed their parts very well indeed. The story is adapted from a French novel and movie. Clive Owen did a very good job as the other brother. Good choice of 60s music back ground. If you like simple straightforward action movie, then this is definitely not your type. Watch it patiently and you will love the movie!

Despite I somehow liked the film, I will never watch it again

[clarkcaped · 7/10 · 10 May 2021]

This movie was sitting in my watchlist for a long time & recently I decided to watch just because of the leads. First half of the film was only in anticipation that the main guy will change & will reunite with his family & will be a good human but as life doesn't work as we except, here also happens the same. The main guy does some things which leads to a good ending but as I said, I do not have guts to watch it in the future.

Every other aspect of this film were good & enjoyable, we root for the main characters but they do what they want to do anyways.

Unoriginal Soap Opera

[claudio_carvalho · 5/10 · 29 March 2015]

In 1974, in New York, the criminal Chris (Clive Owen) is released from prison and his younger brother Frank (Billy Crudup), who is a honest police officer, brings him home expecting that Chris is regenerated. However after an incident, Chris returns to the life of crime, affecting Frank's career and the lives of his ex-wife Monica (Marion Cotillard) and his present wife Natalie (Mila Kunis). But when Chris discovers that the criminal Scarfo (Matthias Schoenaerts) wants to kill Frank that is living with his ex-wife Vanessa (Zoe Saldana), he has to decide whether he flees or save his brother's life.

"Blood Ties" is a movie with an impressive cast and set decoration, including several cars from the 70's. Unfortunately the story is an unoriginal soap opera that wastes the cast. There are many movies with brothers on the opposite sides of the law and the screenplay of "Blood Ties" is not engaging and does not hold the attention of the viewer. My vote is five.

Title (Brazil): "Laços de Sangue" ("Blood Ties")

great cast great acting

[watcher2019 · 7/10 · 6 June 2020]

The reason i only gave it a 7. It went on for too long, fartoo drawn out. THiscould have been done and dusted in 98 mins. Plenty action and the sound track was very good. To be honest i didnt really notice the 70's stuff. itcould have been any period,modern.

Interesting Conclusion

[Floated2 · 7/10 · 17 October 2015]

Blood Ties sets the standard as a film taken place during the 1970's. The basics, Chris (Clive Owen) is just out of the joint, trying to go straight and essentially do right by his cop brother Frank (Billy Crudup), but he's got a messy past to deal with, including making amends with Monica (Marion Cotillard), a prostitute and mother to his children. Meanwhile, Chris falls into a relationship with Natalie (Mila Kunis), a girl he meets during a stint working at a garage. Frank tries desperately to vouch for his brother to his cop pals, who suspect he's going fall back into the life of crime, while he enters a romance with Vanessa (Zoe Saldana), an ex-girlfriend whose boyfriend Scarfo (Matthias Schoenaerts) he recently busted and sent to jail. Blood Ties does take quite a while to make an impression but the does get interesting in it's final 40 minutes or so. It may be a slow film, but the characters and acting performances from the cast make up for its redundant plots, and lack of plot holes.

Crime and the usual suspects is layered with two brothers and their conflicts, well enough!

[secondtake · 7/10 · 25 February 2015]

Blood Ties (2013)

Despite the strangely French roots to this movie (director, writer, production company), this is a deeply American story with many traditional, almost overworn crime and cop/robber aspects. It works overall—it's not a bad film. It's gritty and well acted, and it plays with the clichés in an honest enough way to keep them alive and compelling.

Clive Owen has the biggest role, playing a con just getting out of jail. His father (James Caan) just had lung surgery and is apparently not in good health. And his brother (Billy Cudrup) offers to give him a place to live. This brother also happens to be a cop, and if there is something an ex-con learns to hate more than anything it is cops.

So the story is ostensibly about the two brothers and their conflict, and about some childhood incident where the cop brother betrayed the criminal brother. It's not like this led the one to crime, but more that the cop has always been afraid of doing wrong, and maybe afraid of standing up for his brother when the chips are down.

In a way this is the key to the movie—at what point do you do the right thing for society and turn in your very bad brother, your own flesh and blood? Some would say never. I'm not so sure. (The uni-bomber was finally revealed by his brother, and it probably saved some innocent lives.) But it comes down to that very deep honor, about doing right in some lofty sense, not just the letter of the law.

And this is the best part of the movie. The crime and violence part of things, with all the usual taunts and gun battles and hiding out, is all well and good, but it's pretty common stuff. The interactions between the two leading men is what makes the movie stand apart, and is why you should watch it. It takes on a less mythic quality than, say, "The Godfather," which of course is also about being true to family above all else (usually). And that's good, too, the grit and realism make even the outrageous and dramatic final scene believable.

A lousy French connection

[YohjiArmstrong · 9 March 2015]

BLOOD TIES is a French attempt at those classic 70s NYC crime stories. The concept is an oldie but a goodie - two brothers on opposite sides of the law - but it never convinces. It has thriller elements - a police raid, an armoured car robbery and a car chase - but they're badly shot and derivative of better films. It splurges on the drama instead but only ends up with shouting and swearing. It doesn't help that the multi-national cast means lots of weird accents, or that the two leads are a pair of milk-sops. The only moment it comes alive is when James Caan gets angry at his sons during Thanksgiving; when he swears, you believe him. Unfortunately he's then consigned to the supporting cast again as the story heads towards its sorta-redemptive ending as one brother sacrifices himself for the other. The best 70s crime films had grit, soul and energy but this is a flaccid retread and at over two hours (half-an-hour longer than the French film it's based on) it's a real yawn.

brothers on two sides of the law

[ksf-2 · 7/10 · 5 January 2021]

The 2013 version. One brother Frank (Bill Crudup) is a cop, the other is Chris (Clive Owen) an ex-con. it's 1974, and with Chris staying at Frank's place, things are pretty tense. Chris thought he had a respectable job lined up, but that didn't work out, so he slides back into the old, less than legal ways. and he has a strange relationship with a female co-worker (Mila Kunis, who's in everything these days). Chris wants to marry her, but she knows he will only be trouble. veteran actor James Caan is in here as Frank and Chris' dad. keep an eye out for Lily Taylor ( I Shot Andy Warhol). as Chris starts pulling jobs again, he gets questioned, and of course, now Frank is put in the middle. he wants to defend his brother, but he isn't sure just how involved Chris really is. Violence. lots of cussing. showing on Epix streaming. This started as a novel by Bruno and Michel Papet, turned into film français in 2008, and then made into Blood Ties. This version directed by french director Guillaume Canet.. won lots of film fest awards. it's pretty good.

Pretty good gritty crime drama set in 1974/75

[mxsuba26 · 8/10 · 4 March 2021]

Not the quality of or as engrossing as the French Connection or the Seven Ups, but still pretty good 70's crime action made in 2013. Clive (no black raincoat or rumpled suit this time), with a really bad haircut, Elvis side burns and requisite three quarter length leather jacket (a.k.a. Goodfellas hoods) plays a nasty and unexpectedly violent ex-con whose English accent appears at times while he returns to a life of crime with a local mobster after his work release from a long prison sentence. His brother, a cop, tries to help while having his own serious personal problems.

Very gritty NYC scenes and actors add to the movie's character. As a side note, great set decoration and ugly wardrobe if you like the 1970's. Appropriate that Mila Kunis from that 70's Show stars in this too as his improbable lover and wife. Clive is old enough to be her father. Also, if you like 1960's and 1970's cars including muscle cars, this is a great film just for that. Chevelle 454 SS, Charger, Thunderbirds, Galaxies, Cougars, second generation Barracuda, Coronets a plenty, etc are all around and in perfect condition (right out of someone's collection).

A movie that I'm glad I watched but really just another movie in a long line of brother vs. brother movies.

[cosmo_tiger · 6/10 · 30 May 2014]

"I don't want to ever see you again." Chris (Owen), who was in prison for a gangland murder, has just been released from prison and meets up with his brother Frank (Crudup) who is a cop. Their entire lives they have been different and even though they have grown up some things never change. When Chris tries to get his life back together he finds slipping into his previous routines much easier. Once again the brothers are on opposite sides of the law. This is a hard movie to review and talk about. The movie is very good and worth seeing but it is also a little slow moving in some parts. This has shades of We Own The Night but it's not as exciting as that one. I don't know if it was the acting or the writing but Chris was much more interesting and easier to root for even though he was the "bad one". Even though it was a little predictable that didn't take away from the movie at all. There have been many movies with a similar idea that have come out lately but to me none of them have really distanced themselves as being better than the others. While this was a good movie it was nothing amazing, I'm glad I watched it but I wouldn't watch it again. Overall, a movie that I'm glad I watched but really just another movie in a long line of brother vs. brother movies. I give this a B-.

Very predictable in look and feel, although the acting and realism are strong

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 25 August 2016]

BLOOD TIES is French director Guillaume Canet's remake of his own French film RIVALS, charting the stormy relationship between two brothers in the 1970s. One of them is a violent career criminal fresh out of prison, the other a hard-working and virtuous cop determined to do the right thing. Their contrasting professions mean they're on a collision course and yes, there will be blood.

This isn't an intrinsically bad film. Certainly it has all of the elements to make for good cinema: a gritty realism, some strong performances from an ensemble cast, and perfect attention to detail in bringing the sleazy 1970s to life. The problem I have with it is that it just feels passe and all-too-familiar. The camera-work is sombre and the film has a downbeat atmosphere, but this has all been done time and time again and it makes the movie look clichéd. I want to see bright and vibrant films shot in original ways, not boring styles like the one on offer here.

Clive Owen is very good, cast against type as a ruthless thug and shining in the part - he's scary. Billy Crudup, who rarely gets much of an opportunity in cinema, gives the best performance as his sympathetic brother. Marion Cotillard doesn't do much other than annoy the viewer a bit, although old timer James Caan is always a welcome presence. Mila Kunis and Zoe Saldana don't have much to do which is all for the better. There are some intense action scenes which are fairly shocking, although the film is spoilt by an all-too-familiar air of predictability which means you know exactly how it's going to play out.

Blood is thick, and messy, because it comes from our hearts.

[face-819-933726 · 9/10 · 29 March 2014]

Too many period pieces miss a very important detail; If the movie is set in the 70's then there should be brand new things just things from that era. Too often you see people dressed for the time, but they are using, or carrying antiques that just look like props. There is no separation in this movie, you will feel like you are in New York in the 70's. The production team has done a fantastic job here in making everything about this movie feel as though it was actually filmed in that world, at that time. The acting is tight all around, this is a blood is thicker than anything movie, and the family bonds are stranger, and more dynamic than you will be expecting, which I found very Enjoyable, and unique. This type of movie always draws a line in the sand and says that one side is one way, and the other is opposite of them, but in this movie you can see that it is far more unclear than that, and people are more complicated, and surprising than we ever give ourselves credit for. I give you this movie that I wish was mine to give, so I recommend that you watch it when you get the chance, and hope that that will do.

Jesse of www.jesse.ca

Between two brothers...

[Thanos_Alfie · 6/10 · 20 May 2020]

"Blood Ties" is a Crime - Drama movie in which we follow the lives of two brothers who belong in two different worlds. The one is a criminal and the other a police officer, soon they will understand that their family relationship is a problem for both of them.

I liked this movie because it has a lot of action scenes with plenty of suspense and a very interesting plot. I enjoyed the interpretations of both Billy Crudup who played as Frank and Clive Owen who played as Chris. Some other interpretations that have to be mentioned were Zoe Saldana's who played as Vanessa and Marion Cotillard's who played as Monica. Finally, the direction which was made by Guillaume Canet was very good and he presented very well the relationship of the two brothers, their background and how they both were influenced by each other.

Boring, Formulaic, Uninspired

[everthefool · 3/10 · 22 March 2014]

This cast is great and it's my favorite type of film: crime, brothers on either side of the law, and a bit of romance on the side. However, this movie proves why Scorcese is Scorcese. He does the exact same kind of story lines and with the same top notch actors but he makes his long movies go by so quickly. This movie just drags on and on and you know what's going to happen before any of the scenes there's no surprises and I care nothing for any of the characters. The acting is fine, the actors did an okay job, but it's just boring. Hood gets out of town, falls for girl who wants him to do well. He tries, he fails, he turn back to crime. There's a past relationship and of course it teases him. There's a dying father, a cop brother who wants him to do good. He just can't handle life on the outside. There's nothing wrong with the story but the dialogue is cheesy and the movie just doesn't flow. It's like time slows down and I'm watching this frame by boring frame. Don't waste your time on this one and rewatch Goodfellas if you're hankering for a gangster film.