Disc Reviews

Blood Ties Review

• 9th Oct 2014

When you think of New York cop or crime films some gritty ol’ movies come to mind: The French Connection (1971), Serpico (1973), Marathon Man (1976), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) or Fort Apache, the Bronx (1980). Blood Ties is a recent film starring Clive Owen and Billy Crudup and is set in this familiar New York of 1974 with litter strewn streets included. But what is the more remarkable is that this is not an American film with big studio backing but a French film and starring a British actor as a New York small time hood. The film opens with an exciting opener with a gang of criminals in a flat. One of the gang members puts a record on (remember those), Ace Frehey’s funky ‘Back in the New York Groove’. A short while later armed bullet proof suited cops burst in and a shoot-out ensues leaving one wounded cop and a dead bad guy. Following this the films pace slows right down (to a typical French pace) and focuses on the relationship between two brothers – one of them is the cop in the shoot-out, Frank (Crudup) and the other brother has just been released from prison and is, therefore, on the opposite side of the law. His name is Chris and is played by Clive Owen. Chris is met from prison by Frank and their sister (Lili Taylor) who is certainly pleased to see her brother but we can already sense a distance and tension between the two brothers. Chris has been released from prison on a work release programme to try and integrate him back into society. After this he wants to see his ageing and ailing father (played by veteran James Caan) as well as his two estranged children who live with their drug addicted mother who works as a prostitute (played brilliantly by Marion Cotillard) who plays her role with a strange supposed Italian accent.

Chris struggles in his job as a mechanic as it becomes clear that his past has not been left at the prison gates; he is treated with disdain and suspicion by his boss at the factory he works at. But he builds a relationship with a younger girl who works as a receptionist at the garage (Mila Kunis). Meanwhile, his brother, Frank is pursuing an old flame, the ‘coloured’ Vanessa (Zoe Saldana) who he had been dating previously before the race thing got in the way and also now happens to be with the guy who was in the raid from the beginning of the film and is now inside. She threatens him for hassling her but his persistence pays off and Frank becomes involved in a dangerous relationship with Vanessa. Matters between Frank and Chris breaks down further especially when Chris is drawn further into violent crime with their relationship soon becoming untenable. By the second half of the film the pace really picks up.

The film was mutedly received by critics on its release. Although released in the USA and France some time ago it only received a theatrical release in the UK just over a month ago. Not without its faults, the film never the less pays close attention to its period detail and naturally has a fantastic soundtrack. And this is where, along with many other elements Blood Ties shares a close relationship with one of Martin Scorsese’s early features, Mean Streets (1973). That film too, starring a younger Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro had a fantastic period soundtrack including the likes of Phil Spector tunes etc. Blood Ties shares many aesthetic and stylistic similarities to Scorsese’s film.

Director Guillaume Canet is well known in France as a heartthrob actor and has had a couple of directorial features under his belt. But here he has stepped out of his comfort zone, filming in a period New York (with plenty of strewn litter and cops with moustaches and big ties) and in a language that is equally alien to him. On the accompanying well-made and fascinating Making Of documentary Canet and the rest of the cast and crew talked of how this created some amusing and confusing moments; most of the crew were also French. Owen’s accent however does seem to dart around somewhat. The film does deserve a wider audience despite its few flaws and is a great paean to the old classic aforementioned films. Failing that seek out the soundtrack album – some great lost bubble-gum pop and funk gems from the 70s.

Chris Hick