Blood Father

Two things to know going in.

The is a Hollywood "resurrection" role -- when an A-list big-name star disappears for a while and then comes back in a role you might not expect.

(They can be fun. Costner did a few and they were all interesting. In Fargo Season 2 Jean Smart came back playing a grandmother in a crime family -- and aced it. Gibson, formerly the "sexiest man on the planet" according to polls, nails his cranky, old, character is this one.)

Second it is not a A-film. The running time (about 90 mins) is the tip-off. So going into it, you expect something different.

Which is what you get.

It is not really an actioner, even though it stars one of the biggest action stars in the biz. And does have a lot of action in it. It is more of a road movie. And it is just quirky enough to keep interest.

If Gibson is good, Erin Moriarty is a revelation. This is her breakout role. You will be seeing her again soon. The script, which is razor sharp, requires her to have play both young/stupid and smart/strong at the same time. A contradictory role that would be be a challenge for an A-list pro. She takes command of the role and becomes unforgettable by her third scene.

Great fun.

I'm old enough to have watched all the Lethal Weapon's at the theater. They were some of the best action/buddy movies I've ever seen. Mel Gibson is a great actor. He reinvented the tough guy. He's got a persona that few have on the big silver screen. The fact that Hollywood turned their back on him is nothing short of a crime. Well - he's back and he's doing what he does best - and I for one am thankful. I just recently saw another movie he's done called "Get the Gringo". Another amazing movie steeped in great dialog, action and classic Gibson lines and scenes.

This movie is every father's nightmare. A child or yours has gotten themselves intertwined with some pretty bad dudes and you're the only person that can fix it. Gibson delivers on all levels - providing a character that isn't completely foreign - but new enough to be interesting and engaging. William H. Macy as always delivers some great scenes - and the only disappointment was the lack of on-screen time devoted to Macy and Gibson's character development. Short - but effective. Erin Moriarty was a breath of fresh air - and her character and acting worked well with Gibson's.

This movie is classic Gibson. Great dialog, story and acting. 8 out of 10!

I expected it to be a Mel Gibson driven movie with a simple story.

I also knew the director Richet is known for the qualities of his Mesrine Biopic, but still didn't await the same genre.

Blood Father is not a very serious movie trying to reflect reality to the bone, but an old school action movie with a fresh tight rhythm. Funny dialogues/moments and good performances from quite every actor. No waste of time here (maybe a bit too fast, especially the ending)

I loved it because it was entertaining from start to finish. Some would say it's an overly simplistic rehash of a story we've seen a hundred times. They wouldn't be far from the truth, but the film still is engaging if you let go of your High Concept expectations.

It respects its viewer in a way that makes me feel bad for liking these soulless blockbusters we're being fed these days.

The funny thing is that the movie deliberately reflects Mel's filmography and personal story in different ways without pushing it too far.

I went to see Mel Gibson again, and boy I did!

I need more Mel, g*ddammit!

Although Blood Father does not bring anything new to the table in terms of storytelling, it manages to provide decent entertainment by taking advantage of its filming locations, a good cast and somewhat interesting, although undeveloped, lead characters.

Link (Mel Gibson) is an ex-con turned tattoo artist and former alcoholic who lives a reasonably quiet life in a trailer park home. One day, he receives a phone call from his daughter, Lydia, who has gone missing for many years, and who's seeking help, as drug dealers and law enforcement are trying to track her down. Sounds familiar? It probably does. It's a very classic story, and make no mistake about it, this tale is quite typical of the genre. I would even go as far as to say that story-wise, this film is sub-par and plot development is almost nonexistent. Add an anticlimactic and abrupt ending, and an almost shameful use of pretty interesting supporting characters, one has to wonder what Blood Father really has to offer.

The answer is an overall pretty good time, despite its flaws, thanks to sympathetic characters, above-average dialogue for the genre, some gritty moments, very welcome touches of humor and great cinematography. Jean-François Richet, who directed the biographical films about Jacques Mesrine, does a pretty good job too.

Again, it's a shame to make such little use of Kirby (William H. Macy) and Preacher (Michael Parks), but their presence is appreciated while it lasts. The Sicario character's first appearance is blood chilling, but unfortunately, the character's mystique evaporates from lack of screen time and further significant appearances. Mel Gibson is perfect in his role and Erin Moriarty (Lydia) is pretty good as well. The chemistry between both characters is tangible, and the generational clash sub-theme is subtle, but interesting nonetheless. Moreover, there are a few sequences, such as the first scene at the store and the scene when Link and Lydia are in the back of a truck filled with illegal Mexican immigrants, where the film humorously takes aim at some absurdities, such as a minor buying boxes of ammo without being asked for her ID, but being denied a pack of cigarettes because she's underage, or Lydia countering her dad's argument that illegal Mexican immigrants are "stealing" fruit-picking jobs from white Americans.

While the film offers some nice set-pieces, as a sequence of events, Blood Father's script does not profit from the best possible dramatic continuity, and ultimately falls short on delivering any truly memorable moment whatsoever. In that regard, the writing feels very uneven, as it delivers in the dialogue department, but lacks truly interesting ideas or ingenuity story-wise.

That being said, its qualities are likely to draw you in for its hour and a half runtime, and should manage to entertain anyone who likes this type of flick.

It was so refreshing for me, and I am sure for many other people, to see in this film the re birth of this such great actor and director Mel Gibson. His performance in this film reminds me the one he had six years ago in EDGE OF DARKNESS. Nearly the same topic with a lost father in search of his daughter, or in avenging her death. In both features, Mel Gibson is at his top. And I am also pleased that this latest film was made by a French director, already guilty of ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13, back ten years ago. I won't mention the MESRINE films. Not for foreseeable plot and also a bit depressing, although not totally clichés ridden. But it remains an excellent crime flick. I really hope that Mel Gibson will rapidly be back to the top.