Very disappointing...

I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Absolutely Brilliant!

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

All these talented actors, what a huge waste! Billy Crudup I like, the wonderful Marion Cotillard, the English Clive Owen, Zoe Saldana looks stunning, James Caan in a cameo role... even the interesting Dutch or Belgian newcomer Mathias Schoenaerts who was great in the recent Far from the Madding Crowd, honestly there is not a single bad actor here... simply let down by a depressing low-grade storyline about low-grade criminal life... Clive, you can do so much better than this. The French director probably thought he could do as well as an American writer with this genre but unfortunately he failed. Just write another interesting and pleasant story with decent dialogue for all these stars and I would be happy so see them all in another movie... I bought this DVD cheaply looking at the star lineup, thinking I had got a deal... no way. I should take it back for a refund... Good actors cannot achieve instant fame with a bad story and script, I am sorry to say and I was greatly disappointed

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.

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.

While there is much to be commended in the fact that director Guillaume Canet and his production team have here in Blood Ties created a very decent recreation of the 1970's (with an overuse of record players, we get it OK, there weren't IPod's/CD's back then!) there is also much to be made of the fact that Blood Ties is a lifeless, seen a thousand times before, dull and dreary tale that fails to announce to us just why it exists.On paper, things within Blood Ties would seem to add up to a pretty decent family/crime drama, even moments within seem to suggest Sidney Lumet was a huge inspiration. We have a name cast in the form of Clive Owen, Mila Kunis, Zoe Saldana and the ever disappointing Billy Crudup, then behind the scenes you have a film not only produced but co-written by crime genre specialist James Grey and director Guillaume Canet who has a decent track record in his native homeland of France with films such as the excellent Tell No One and the decent Little White Lies, but nothing within Blood Ties ads up to any anything decent, nothing we see here feels emotionally engaging and no one truly seems to care enough to change it.Blood Ties needed someone too step up their game exceptionally within the piece, yet all participants seemingly rested on their laurels with the material and expected fireworks to happen. Canet's direction clearly did not help this dull overbearing feeling however with his stale, beyond workmanlike gig behind the camera transferring to one of the most bereft of life movies you'd care to see. Where is the tension to be found between warring brothers? The heart pounding experience of a crime in progress or the sparks between lovers? There is none of that to be found here despite the potential for it.Bloods Ties best moments are all taken/borrowed from other much better films of the same genre, whether it be a climatic train station scene (Carlito's Way), a bank heist gone wrong (Heat) or brothers torn between loyalty to their family/friends or loyalty to their job (We Own the Night or State of Grace) and they go to show you just what can be done with this type of film if it's done right. Blood Ties doesn't do many things right and that makes this a film worthy of being crossed off your to watch list, even if the cast list looks like a sure fire success.1 record player out of 5 For more movie reviews and opinions check into - www.jordanandeddie.wordpress.com