Blood Ties

Name: Blood Ties
Genre: Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: March 21, 2014
Duration: 127 min
Rating: 45
Cast: Billy Crudup, Clive Owen, James Caan, Lili Taylor, Marion Cotillard

2014

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Mixed or average reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 26 Ratings

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Blood Ties

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Movie Details & Credits

Roadside Attractions | Release Date: March 21, 2014 | R

Starring: Billy Crudup, Clive Owen, James Caan, Lili Taylor, Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Mila Kunis, Noah Emmerich, Zoe Saldana

Summary: New York, 1974. Fifty-year-old Chris (Clive Owen) has just been released on good behavior after several years in prison following a gangland murder. Reluctantly waiting for him outside the gates is his younger brother, Frank (Billy Crudup), a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, and their father, Leon (JamesNew York, 1974. Fifty-year-old Chris (Clive Owen) has just been released on good behavior after several years in prison following a gangland murder. Reluctantly waiting for him outside the gates is his younger brother, Frank (Billy Crudup), a cop with a bright future. Chris and Frank have always been different, and their father, Leon (James Caan), who raised them alone, seems to favor Chris despite all his troubles. Yet blood ties are the ones that bind, and Frank, hoping that his brother has changed, is willing to give him a chance—he shares his home, finds him a job, and helps him reconnect with his children and his ex-wife, Monica (Marion Cotillard). But Chris’ inevitable descent back into a life of crime proves to be the last in a long line of betrayals, and after his brother’s latest transgressions, Frank banishes him from his life. But it’s already too late, as the brothers’ destiny is bound together, forever.… Expand

Director: Guillaume Canet

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 127 min

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Critic Reviews

Marc Mohan

Mar 20, 2014

Blood Ties not only convincingly recreates its era, it seems like it could have been made then. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Glenn Kenny

Mar 21, 2014

While Canet's direction can't be said to be all over the place, the movie never settles into the groove it so dearly aspires to. Read full review

Gary Goldstein

Mar 20, 2014

There's a heft to the proceedings that keeps us invested even when the story's various strands start to unravel. Read full review

Sara Stewart

Mar 20, 2014

It’s all headed for a showdown, of course, and duly delivers, though Crudup and Taylor are the only ones who really seem to have a handle on the New Yawk accent. Read full review

Stephen Holden

Mar 20, 2014

There are some very good performances and parts of performances in Blood Ties, but the movie fails to convey a sense of tribal identity within this world. Read full review

Time Out London Tom Huddleston

Aug 13, 2014

The soundtrack is crammed with ’60s and ’70s pop gems – several of them instantly familiar from Scorsese’s movies – while the colour palette is all muted corduroy brown and rainy urban grey. The result is less a homage than a slavish, overproduced cover version, lacking all the spark and integrity of the original. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Mar 20, 2014

Fine actors are let down by a comatose script and wayward direction in this retro crime drama. Read full review

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User Reviews

NikolayG

May 24, 2015

Ignore the mediocre ratings. This film is a gem. I'm in my mid-50s so I remember the 70s well. Unlike other period films that exaggerate the styles and attitudes of the 1970s, Blood Ties simply gets the 70s spot on correct. What a relief. The story is a complex interweaving of dramasIgnore the mediocre ratings. This film is a gem. I'm in my mid-50s so I remember the 70s well. Unlike other period films that exaggerate the styles and attitudes of the 1970s, Blood Ties simply gets the 70s spot on correct. What a relief. The story is a complex interweaving of dramas involving a cop, his criminal brother, and the women in their lives. Those who think this movie are slow are looking for an action flick, which this is not. If you think Indiana Jones is a normally paced movie, then you might think this is slow. This is a drama that bothers to explore character, so that when the characters do things you know why. Rather than a series of nearly random set pieces as you get in crazy action flicks, here you get an actual story that is driven by the needs and desires of the characters who inhabit the movie. Imagine that. I think Zoe Saldana is the best actress in Hollywood and the sexiest to boot; it is a thrill to see her in something other than a super hero, action, or sci-fi flick. There is action in this of course. It's a violent film, but it is essentially a drama. Clive Owen, too, a great actor who doesn't get enough good roles. This film was a real treat. If you like films that maintain a tight story while at the same time embracing a broad cast of characters and their backgrounds, this movie is for you. I wish it were a TV series so I could watch it every week for years.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Bolthead

Aug 11, 2014

I really liked this movie.

I don't quite understand the mixed and/or negative reviews. Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, and James Caan are all very good...as is the rest of the cast. Yes, this is a long movie. However, its length isn't a problem because the content is compelling...at least itI really liked this movie.

I don't quite understand the mixed and/or negative reviews.

Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, and James Caan are all very good...as is the rest of the cast. Yes, this is a long movie. However, its length isn't a problem because the content is compelling...at least it was to me, anyway.

I have brothers. All of my siblings are very different from one another...although not quite as different as the two central characters in "Blood Ties".

Many years ago, my youngest brother dragged me (at his insistence...I didn't want to go) to a viewing of the just-released "Blade Runner". The critics hated it...I loved it. Now, it's (appropriately) regarded as a science-fiction classic.

You can listen to the critics on "Blood Ties"...or, see it for yourself.

This is a quality film with a terrific cast...among so many other less-worthy choices.

Don't miss it...especially if you have one or more brothers.

It rings true.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Thegodfatherson

Mar 26, 2014

I loved it. Some movies just make sense too much that they absorb you into their world. And Blood Ties is exactly that film. Clive Owen was great, I enjoyed his performance- it was very realistic. Mila Kunis is good as well. The story is very new- two brothers one is a cop and one is aI loved it. Some movies just make sense too much that they absorb you into their world. And Blood Ties is exactly that film. Clive Owen was great, I enjoyed his performance- it was very realistic. Mila Kunis is good as well. The story is very new- two brothers one is a cop and one is a criminal. I find films like this very refreshing and interesting. It's very rare you see a film like Blood Ties. But the film is slow and a bit boring at times but the film is worth the wait and the climax. Miss it and you will be missing one of the greatest dramas of the year.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

JLuis_001

Aug 4, 2021

Not even the solid cast can make it work. The lack of imagination is noticeable despite the good results in production and style.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

danipp

Oct 14, 2015

Great on paper but never delivers what we expect. Extremely long, unoriginal (we've seen this story tons of times before), predictable and basically a copy of all gangster movies ever made. For those who watched Les Liens Du Sang, the movie in which Blood Ties is based on, we'll see theGreat on paper but never delivers what we expect. Extremely long, unoriginal (we've seen this story tons of times before), predictable and basically a copy of all gangster movies ever made. For those who watched Les Liens Du Sang, the movie in which Blood Ties is based on, we'll see the exact same thing they did in 2008, except it's in New York. Performances are great because the cast is superb but accents are bizarre (Marion Cotillard is Italian but speaks English with a French accent) and female roles are terrible (Lily Taylor is almost a figurant) and completely dependent on men. Funny since the most interesting thing in this film are female roles. Costumes and cinematography are quite good and soundtrack is nostalgic, even though it's forced and inadequate sometimes. Anyway, these technical aspects don't compensate the lack of development in the script and lack of creativity of the director, the once promissing Guillaume Canet.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

DawdlingPoet

Nov 28, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a crime drama film, which is quite slow paced, plot wise but half way through I felt it did become really quite tense. Themes covered include (somewhat obviously) family ties/sibling rivalry and trust. It is somewhat stylish, given the soundtrack, with various rock and pop hits, such as Sunshine Of Your Love by Cream, Do What You Gotta Do by Al Wilson, Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals, Money Is by Little Richard and The Long Way Round by Gerry Rafferty.

It is fairly emotive and atmospheric in parts, such as one scene set on a beach during a misty day, in which we can hear a piano playing somewhat in the background. There are some fairly gripping fight scenes, mostly involving gunfire - one inparticular had me waiting to see if they'd play the Beastie Boys 'Sabotage' (a 1980s track) or something similar, as its quite gritty and had that sort of rebellious, anarchic feel to it. The camerawork is fairly swift and jerky at times, especially during the fast paced fight scenes, when it cuts from one camera, or angle, to another. Otherwise I'm not sure if anything about the camerawork came to mind.

I felt that Billy Crudup did particularly well in his role, portraying Frank as a professional, dedicated cop, while also desperately wishing to see his brother in a better light and thus having to juggle his personal and work life. He seemed genuinely troubled by the situations he found himself in and he seemed to play his role quite convincingly. Its the interaction between Crudup and Owen (Clive Owen, who plays Chris) that make the film work relatively well.

Other cast members include James Caan as the patriarch (father figure) Leon, who seems quite wise and philosophical to an extent and Noah Emmerich as Lieutenant Connellan. There are numerous actresses present too, including Marion Cottilard as Monica, Zoe Saldana as Vanessa and Mila Kunis as Natalie. I'm more used to seeing Kunis appear in jovial comedy films, which this is obviously not, so it was interesting to see her in a more serious role. She seemed to do well in her part, coming across as both nervous and wise/clued-up.

Content wise, this film contains moderate violence, including gunfire and bloody injury shown, if only briefly. There is also a, shall we say 'liberal' use of quite strong language one or two racist or racism related references are made and there are sex and drug references too, so suffice to say it isn't one to be watched with kids around(!). This film has a 15 rating to reflect said content.

To be fair, the film ends on a pretty tense and suspenseful, long drawn out scene, which involves a relatively fast paced car chase and a large, claustrophobic area with hundreds of members of the public unknowingly hiding the character trying to get away. I felt this final scene was quite well done and perhaps slightly thought provoking.

To me overall, not including the ending, it seemed pretty forgettable and as such isn't exactly a brilliant film, although I imagine some people may well enjoy it more than I did. It is inevitably somewhat depressing and it took a bit too long for the story to build up much, so it didn't especially impress me but I wouldn't say its an awful film. Hopefully what I've told you will be enough to help you judge if this is something you may enjoy watching or not.

No I wouldn't go out of your way to watch this. It does feature some decent performances, most notably from Billy Crudup (in my opinion, of course) but I felt it was a bit too slow for the plot to develop and it was a bit dark and depressing overall, so I didn't especially enjoy it, compared to other similar films. Its ok as an ocassionally emotive crime drama and it has an element of style or flair to it via the soundtrack but it just didn't quite work entirely for me personally, compared to other similar films.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tss5078

Mar 30, 2015

Shot in a 1970s style, Blood Ties certainly has the right look. The film features a great cast, that made me desperately want to see it, but the problem is that it's a very common tale and it moves along at a snails pace. Even with a story that's been done over and over again, Blood TiesShot in a 1970s style, Blood Ties certainly has the right look. The film features a great cast, that made me desperately want to see it, but the problem is that it's a very common tale and it moves along at a snails pace. Even with a story that's been done over and over again, Blood Ties still could have been something special, because of it's cast, but that didn't happen simply because it is one of the most predictable films I've seen all year. The film features two brothers, Chris (Clive Owen) a career criminal, just released from prison, and Frank (Billy Crudup) a New York City Detective, who tries to help Chris get back on his feet. Didn't I see this movie in 2007 when it was called We Own The Night? That film has the exact same tagline, but fortunately wasn't as predictable. Billy Crudup stars as the good brother and was the only interesting character in the film, surprising considering the film features two of my favorite actors, James Caan and Charlie Tahan. Unfortunately neither of them have a particular big or interesting role, as everything centers around these two brothers. The con is played by Clive Owen, who honestly seemed like he didn't want anything to do with this role. He is emotionless, uneven, and every time he has any kind of long dialogue, I thought I was going to fall asleep. The bottom line, one's a cop, the others a con, I wonder what's going to happen? What happens is exactly what you think is going to happen, so why even bother to watch this extreme disappointment?… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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