A tattooed Mel Gibson crying for freedom. A gun-toting Mel Gibson in hot pursuit of a motorbike gang in a red-hot desert. A bloodshot Mel Gibson battling with the bottle and running into trouble with the law. A foul-mouthed Mel Gibson hurling abuse at a truckload of Mexicans. A tearful Mel Gibson pleading for a second chance from those he has hurt and offended who in turn have ostracised him. Sound familiar? It should. For much of the dialogue by screenwriters Andrea Berloff (Straight Outta Compton) and Peter Craig (whose novel of the same name this film by Assault on Precinct 13 director Jean Francois Richet is based) sound as though they have been lifted from one of Mel Gibson’s movies, interviews or statements!

He. Is. Tremendous. Perfectly cast. And delivers one of his finest performances in years, if not decades. In fact, I can think of no other actor more suited to play the role of John Link, a recovering alcoholic and ex-con in search of redemption, without whom Blood Father like his career up until this point would likely be filed in a box marked history. Is this his comeback movie? Does he deserve a second chance? Will producers take a punt and part with their bucks? And, perhaps more importantly of all, will his name ever put bums on seats to the same degree that it did for Braveheart, Lethal Weapon, The Patriot, What Women Want, Apocalypto and The Passion of the Christ? Time will tell. But judging by his performance in this low-budget action-thriller, I hope the response is akin to the orgasmic Meg Ryan’s in When Harry Met Sally: Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! Yes!!!!

Photo: Lionsgate Premiere
Photo: Lionsgate Premiere

The plot is simple and the running time brief, which is no bad thing as it brings into focus the father-daughter relationship, which lies at the heart of Peter Craig and Andrea Berloff’s often witty and sometimes political script, and favours short but snappy bursts of action over the usual pyrotechnics of style over substance which has unnecessarily bloated many a budget and blockbuster in recent years. The gist of which is that Lydia Jane Carson (Erin Moriarty), reported missing for several years after running away from home, turns up at her estranged father’s trailer after accidentally shooting her gangster boyfriend Jonah Pincerna (Diego Luna) in the neck. Ow! In hot pursuit, are his gun-toting Mexican cronies aka sicarios meaning hitmen or cartel soldiers, which in Donald Trump-speak are “bigly” “bad hombres”. They want their pound of flesh, daddy wants his daughter back. End of.

There is nothing particularly original about Blood Father, but there’s enough in it in terms of humour, performances and action to enjoy. Michael Parks does a fine impersonation of a wide-eyed Johnny Rotten as Gibson’s Nazi-loving friend Preacher. There are several terrific punch-ups turned shootouts, none more so than the final burst of action which mostly takes place within the confines of a single car. The satire is subtle but memorable, such as an early scene in a supermarket in which an underage Lydia is refused the sale of alcohol but allowed to buy bubble gum and bullets. And the one-liners, usually from the waspish tongue of teetotaller on the brink of relapse Gibson (whose performance really is worth the price of admission alone), are a hoot.

Video: Lionsgate Movies

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Peter Callaghan

1 Comment

  1. This movie was very good it was a emotional at the end, but I loved the movie.

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