Director Guillaume Canet is obsessed with ’70s directors, and it shows in “Blood Ties,” his gritty NYC drama about two brothers (Billy Crudup and Clive Owen) on opposite sides of the law. The problem therein: It all feels so familiar, from the beleaguered female characters, to the scene-setting anthems (“New York Groove” is well-used, admittedly), to the predictable eruptions of violence. I kept expecting this group to eventually cross paths with the “American Hustle” crew during a slo-mo stroll through a sleazy lounge.
Crudup’s Frank is a cop; his brother, Chris (Owen), is a thuggish ex-con who’s fast being lured back into his old life. Chris’ ex-wife (Marion Cotillard) is a prostitute who views his spotty appearances with resignation, while his girlfriend (Mila Kunis) is willfully oblivious to the provenance of her beau’s financial windfalls. Meanwhile, Frank attempts to keep peace in the family (Dad’s James Caan, sis is Lili Taylor) and repair his relationship with his old friend Vanessa (Zoe Saldana), whose ex — another criminal — is increasingly menacing.
It’s all headed for a showdown, of course, and duly delivers, though Crudup and Taylor are the only ones who really seem to have a handle on the New Yawk accent.