Blood Ties is a French-American crime thriller that’s distribution was much more French than American. After all, it was screened out of competition at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival and only received it’s first limited release in the U.S.A. one month ago. However, this movie is stacked with talent and a style that captures the gritty streets of Brooklyn in the mid-70’s.
Chris (Clive Owen) tries to go straight once out of prison but finds the temptation too much to handle. His brother Frank (Billy Crudup) is a New York cop, and so the conflict ensues. Tangled with romances with Mila Kunis and Marion Cotillard, Chris is not the only one battling demons. His brother Frank also has his own personal troubles. Still, it all comes back to the family and the bond the brothers have with each other, which is best shined upon when their sister and father is with them, played by James Caan.
This movie is heavy with emotion, conflict and resolution peppered in the places where it was needed the most. I highly recommend watching this, and not expecting your typical Hollywood movie with flowers and rainbows right before the credits roll. Still, you will feel satisfied in a strange, yet necessary way.
