"Les Liens De Sang" got chilly reviews in Chabrol's native France and the movie has sunk into oblivion.Made at a time when Chabrol was really good again (it was made between "Alice Ou La Dernière Fugue" and "Violette Nozière" ),after a period of barren inspiration (1974 /1975),you can enjoy this movie provided that you forget all that you know about Claude Chabrol.It's a pleasantly-anonymous thriller which could have been made by any director at all.Which does not mean it's bad.But if you know the fifty+ Chabrol movies ,you cannot hail it as his masterpiece.What you can say,though,is that it's neatly superior to his recent movies (the last ten years were full of mediocrities).Donald Sutherland and Pierre Mallet are very convincing.Aude Landry's playing,on the other hand ,displays nothing disturbing,nothing irrational in her behavior ,which makes the ending,although praised for its "unexpected twist" ,a bit artificial.Remember the characters in such works as "Le Boucher" "La Rupture" "Que la bete Meure" or even "Les Biches" Of Chabrol's world,only Stephane Audran remains:but her part is underwritten ,and she is probably dubbed for I cannot recognize her voice,so it's not worth talking about it.
The social background ( the director's trademark)has completely disappeared here.As Chabrol works in a foreign country,he is incapable to depict the Canadian society whereas his métier was the ruthless portrait of French bourgeoisie.
That said,you can enjoy the film:it is a good thriller if you do not think it over too much.Donald Sutherland portrays an endearing human cop.
The social background ( the director's trademark)has completely disappeared here.As Chabrol works in a foreign country,he is incapable to depict the Canadian society whereas his métier was the ruthless portrait of French bourgeoisie.
That said,you can enjoy the film:it is a good thriller if you do not think it over too much.Donald Sutherland portrays an endearing human cop.