One brother’s a criminal and the other brother’s a cop.
Blood Ties
I never woulda watched Blood Ties. First off: made in France. Second off: made in 2103.
So I figure it’s rife with CGI and blue screen. Which makes it a comic strip instead of a movie.
But it came on automatically after The Bank Job so I gave it a shot & watched it.
IMBD describes Blood Ties like so: “Two brothers, on either side of the law, face off over organized crime in Brooklyn during the 1970s.”
But that description’s lame. Try this instead: Set inside a crime-ridden section of Brooklyn in 1974 – a seamy section of Italians, blacks, and Puerto Ricans – focusing on an Italian family of four.
1 – The older brother’s a career criminal
2 – The younger brother’s an NYPD detective in Brooklyn.
3 – The father’s still feisty even though he was just discharged from the hospital after losing a lung.
4 – The daughter’s obedient. She cooks Thanksgiving dinner for the men but steps in to break things up when the shit hits the fan.
Plenty of shoot ‘em up and ass-kicking throughout the movie.
An intricate and convoluted plot that makes you pay attention or else lose track of what’s happening. I liked the movie a lot – glad I watched it – I’d describe the theme as blood is thicker than water.
Clive Owen – knew his name but never saw him in anything – 77 credits – the professor in The Bourne Identity but don’t remember him – Sin City but I could never get past the first few annoying minutes.
He’s the criminal brother and he was outstanding in this.
Billy Crudup – recognized the name and thought I knew who he was – 48 credits but never saw him in anything before.
He’s the cop brother and he was also outstanding.
James Cann – kept looking and looking – and damn, is that old guy James Caan?
Yep. But don’t need to post any of his 134 credits. Everyone knows who he is.
He’s the father and he’s good.
Noah Emmerich – recognized his face but didn’t know his name – 56 credits – Last Action Hero – NYPD Blue – loved him in Beautiful Girls – a lot of TV series for last 10 or so years.
He plays Billy Crudup’s lieutenant.
Marion Cotillard – award winning actress from across the pond with 89 credits but never saw her in anything until this.
She plays Clive Owen’s estranged wife who’s a drug-addicted hooker – and she’s good, too.
Zoe Saldana – 68 credits including Law & Order, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Terminal, four Star Treks, & two Avengers – but never saw any of them.
She plays Billy Crudup’s former love interest.
They broke up years before because he didn’t want to be seen in public with a black female. But in an interesting twist she becomes his current love interest – also very good.
Mila Kunis – 67 acting credits including Bay Watch & That ‘70s Show. But I never saw her in anything until now.
Never figured out why so many guys thought she was all-that.
She had to put weight on for this role but still looked a little scrawny to me. She plays Clive Owen’s love interest, but all my negativity aside, she was good.
All the actors were good.
Here’s the trailer for Blood Ties.
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