Blood and Money (2020) User Reviews

Much Better Than Expected...

[omendata · 6/10 · 6 September 2020]

After seeing previous recent Berenger films I was beginning to think he had lost a bit of his Platoon sparkle but after watching this I can still say there is life in the old dog yet.

The film is your basic casino heist and search for for the cash in the winter mountains of Allagash but what makes this rise above the usual drivel is Berengers performance. Now either he is old , weak and frail in reality or he portrayed the role with perfection. You almost feel every step he takes, every wheeze that comes out of his mouth as he slowly and lugubriously makes his way through the carnage and you really feel for the character, I was egging him on; you just want the pace to move faster but it does not and that is its strength not its weakness as some other reviewers have pointed out. It feels like you the viewer are walking through molasses with him and that is a great achievement for any actor. The movie may be too slow for a lot of the crash, bang, wallop brigade but stick with it as it pulls no punches.

Stir in some zero mercy / zero compromise action which is rather unexpected in these days of political correctness and the despatch of the bad guys is carried off with Platoon-like viciousness which adds to the movies allure, it does not have the usual Hollywood happy ending which is always a bonus and gives the viewer a deft little twist at the end which I always like to see.

It is not going to win any oscars but it does prove that Berenger is still a force to be reckoned with and it gets a solid 6.5/10 from me as I thoroughly enjoyed it and so should you if you stick with it to the end.

I Know What You're Thinking - But You're (Mostly) Wrong

[TheJonesBones · 6/10 · 6 July 2020]

Yeah, I know what you thought when you checked the title. "Another Berenger sell-out." How I loved to hate him in Platoon - he is, after Gregory Peck, the greatest living Ahab (as of this writing). So, for this film... you will be pleasantly surprised.

Mr. Berenger (Jim Reed) actually gets to carry the bulk of the movie! That's right, you only get the glammy sell-out corn near the end, and even then only for a few scenes (essentially, wherever the dialog is overpowered by the f-bomb - I'm no prude, but - come on - get a thesaurus!).

So, you actually get Mr. Berenger at an advanced age playing a somewhat suitable character. While I believe the role is still perhaps ten years ago for most actors, Mr. Berenger plays it eloquently (with just the proper count of sighs, groans, and moans - take this from an old guy). I believe him, and I see echoes of Sgt. Barnes in his demeanor.

If the powers-that-be of this film had allowed Mr. Berenger to play it straight, in character, to the end, they might have had an "art film" on their hands. Such a shame.

Still. Bravo, Maestro. Bravo.

-S

Very slow movie

[khriesvitsu · 4/10 · 15 May 2020]

Very slow movie I watched it mid way and got bored after seeing that he gets shot just near his heart and still goes on to take down guys.....Wat a bluff.....Cheap movie.

Veteran

[usranger-647-457255 · 1/10 · 17 June 2020]

The snynopis says he is a Vet. What a veterinarian? Maybe he is getting old but his soldier skills were lacking. Throwing away an empty magazine? WTF. I am a Vet with 41 years service and I would never do some of the poor soldiering skills displayed. Knowing that the bad guys are hunting you and you attempt to build a fire? One good point, they used HD for the film.

Berenger is great.

[teachermarkthailand · 7/10 · 17 May 2020]

Tom Berenger really does a good job of an old, slow dying man who limps his way through his final few days.

As for the movie... if this had been a 'Nordic' film with a Nordic cast this would probably have been better received... as it is, it's an American film, so the jury haven't been so kind.

It's a film of two halves and the first half is brilliant. A great sense of atmosphere and the cold, FREEZING outdoors! The direction jumps around quickly to set up the location and the characters.

The second half turns into a routine slugfest between the good guy (Tom) and some silly men who are after some stolen money. It's a wonder how they pulled off this heist at all, given that they are all stupid and all prone to make stupid decisions!

I saw it through to the end because it started off so well, and I like Tom... but by the end I was a bit annoyed.

You can sign yourself out

[nogodnomasters · 5/10 · 24 May 2020]

Jimmy Reed (Tom Berenger ) lives in the back of his camper. He is attempting to get his buck in the Maine Allagash. His eyesight is not good and neither his aim. Like most Maniacs he ends up shooting a stranger who he thought was a deer. Hey! She had fur clothes on while on her porch!. She was part of a group that robbed a casino. So now it is Jimmy vs 4 bad guys with guns who apparently can't track one guy in the snow.

The first American Legion I have seen that had a "No Alcohol" sign. PLOT SPOILER: Jimmy seeks redemption by offering the stolen money to a waitress in need. Does anyone else have an issue with that? Casinos are like the IRS and insurance companies. It is considered by too many to be acceptable to cheat them out of money.

Guide: F-word. Too cold for sex or nudity.

INNER DEMONS IN THE WILD

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 4 August 2020]

One of the worst things to happen to certain actors is to rise to stardom only to be ignored by the system. These are actors whose creativity and abilities more often than not outshine the material they are provided. And yet for whatever reason the film studios abandon them in spite of what they can bring to a movie or the accolades they achieve. One of those actors is Tom Berenger.

Berenger shone in smaller roles in films like DOGS OF WAR, THE BIG CHILL and EDDIE AND THE CRUISERS. He got a major break as Sgt. Barnes in PLATOON. Leading roles followed in SHOOT TO KILL and MAJOR LEAGUE. Just like that he suddenly began starring in lower budgeted films, often the lead but almost always straight to video movies. With each film though he provided a fantastic performance. To this day he does the same in spite of being 71 years old.

Released this week is a movie that never made it to the big screen, perhaps because of the pandemic but more likely because it was headed straight to disc. BLOOD AND MONEY features Berenger in the lead role as Jim Reed, a retired veteran living out of his homemade RV of sorts now hunting in the frozen woods of Maine. There is something troubling about Reed that we aren't aware of yet but it plays out in his moods and his actions, the looks on his face when he thinks.

The early part of the film moves at a slow pace but gives us the opportunity to get to know the character of Reed. A vet from the Vietnam era he's troubled. He takes a shine to a waitress who treats him kindly at the nearby diner letting her know she reminds him of his daughter. He meets a fellow veteran named George at a local AA meeting. His troubled past isn't yet revealed but his desire for alcohol and his refusal to give in plays some part.

In the woods looking for his buck he fires and discovers that he's shot a person by mistake. When he gets to the victim it turns out to be a young woman who dies in front of him telling him he's so dead. Afraid of going to prison and assuming he will be arrested for manslaughter he returns to town. While sitting in a bar he looks up at the TV and recognizes the young woman. She was part of a gang that robbed a nearby casino.

Remembering that he left a pack of cigarettes near the body he returns and this time discovers a bag filled with the cash that was stolen. As he heads out with the cash he hears arguing and discovers the rest of the gang have shown up determined to find the cash. Hiding in the woods he comes across George. Sadly this character isn't long on the scene.

The rest of the movie pits Reed against the four villains determined to get the money at all costs. Running for his RV/truck he finds it set afire and now must face down the group. He hides the money in a nearby cave he's familiar with and goes back to find them crew. Drawing first blood he takes one out after the man threatens to kill his family having found the information in the truck. Now he has no option but to take out the rest.

As I said the movie is a bit slow at times and predictable at others. That doesn't mean it can't be an enjoyable ride anyway. But this is not a big time roller coaster ride, it's more of that in between rollercoaster that kids can enjoy and the less thrill seeking adults aren't afraid to go on. The movie provides a nice distraction without being a film you'll likely seek out for a return visit.

Through it all though Berenger rises above the material like he always does. The odds are against him landing another major role like some of those he's had in the past. It doesn't matter. Any film that has him as a major part of it is worth watching. Just like this one.

Rather Weak and Tired

[TwistedContent · 4/10 · 15 May 2020]

...and I don't mean Tom Berenger as much as the movie itself. I suppose "Blood Money" was taken, so things were really freshened up with that "and" in the middle. The movie turned out to be as derivative as its name, besides the snowy and cold setting it ain't got much going on for it. In his full feature debut, John Barr seems to have optioned for imitating many other, better thrillers, because the story of "Blood and Money" is familiar, predictable, slowly dull and seriously uninspired.

Tom Berenger gives us Jim Reed - a grizzled, seen-it-all Vietnam war veteran with traumas in his past, and in his twilight years. Jim's spending his days in Northern Maine, hunting and trying not to drink, but things start going south when he stumbles upon a dead woman's body and a big bag full of cash. "Blood and Money" doesn't try to invent or reinvent anything, and is aware of it, but that doesn't help it much. Throughout its 85 minute runtime it feels like watching a film that's constantly trying to find heart, emotion, tension, but somehow manages to achieve the opposite, feeling dry, heartless in execution and completely devoid of surprises. In process, the pacing suffered greatly.

There are many odd flaws in the writing, I couldn't figure out why some characters do what they do, the motivation/response sometimes appeared to be unclear, unreasoned. Despite Jim Reed seemingly trying to do good, he did more questionable things, to say the least. An anti-hero? If so, still a shabby one. Berenger's seem to be a good fit for such a role, and does his best at channeling Jim Reed's world-weariness and the years of hardships on his shoulders. "Blood and Money" is mostly a one man's show, but the script only allows Tom to do so much.

Clearly, it's a B movie, and perhaps even a passion project. Cinematography doesn't exactly excel, but it's shot thoughtfully and tastefully enough, and the locations (Maine's endless forests, rural small town's aesthetic, snowy hills and caves, etc.) do a big part of the work, though explored on a level I'd call underwhelming. The action, as little of it as there was, also called for mixed feelings. If they tried for realism, they kind of missed the mark.

No matter how much I tried to get into it, the writing and pacing kept their offense, and the sum is such that I can't even really recommend this movie, except for die-hard fans of Tom Berenger and/or films set in wintery locations. My rating: 4/10.

Bleak but uplifting?

[zalfunk · 7/10 · 25 November 2020]

Slow. Sparse. Real. Mournful. Bleak is probably the correct adjective. Suspend belief? And some. Jim Reed isn't Ethan Matthew Hunt but he should be to perform the things he does. With one knee, a bit of timber and a lack of blood. In minus temperatures too. The ending is surprising. And worth the wait. Maybe.

Tom Wake Up

[tandc-53810 · 5/10 · 16 May 2020]

I'm a fan of Tom Berenger so watched the whole 85 minutes of this movie. There is little dialogue and the 5 or 6 characters (Tom included) earn their money by simply walking around in the snow and shooting at each other. Tom tries very hard to be a tired and sickly old timer, Jim Reed, but it is painful to watch this excellent actor in such a crappy role. Clint could have done this better. He's older than Tom. This movie could have been edited to 60 minutes tops. It's terribly tedious and slow.

Action Ice-Capade that Thrills Beyond it's Modest Means

[adamngoodmanza · 9/10 · 19 May 2020]

When I think of Tomithy Berenger, I think of a smart man's action hero, throw him into the snowy Maine back-country with some cold hard cash (icy icy dollar bills) and a couple of straight up gangsters - fresh from the slots - on the chase, and I'm thinking; YES PLEASE!

Let's be honest, this is decidedly a modest action movie that works hard at trying to be otherwise and often makes good on that endeavour. It's pop-corn and bubblegum with tried and tested story-telling devices that we've all come to love and sure, even expect. But Berenger's performance keeps you engaged the whole way and his character's arc keeps you guessing which way this is gonna go.

As far as the world of the movie goes- the backdrop is stunning - said to be as close to the Allagash as damn it. I must say, the powder looks fresh along with the still beauty of the surrounds - its pretty special. Combine that with some interesting and edgy cinematography and editing styles & a haunting score that echoes the loneliness of those woods and you have a thick & rich atmosphere and you're right out there in the cold with our man.

The film also stars Paul Ben-Victor, who I must make special mention of and who I think you will find too, does well to stay on the right side of the law - finally - quite novel for this Serpentine King.

You'd be wrong to underestimate the ride B&M will take you on - it's one that is uncanny given the current state of the world - go ahead, Berenger's got your back.

This movie is for story lovers.

[joburgmall · 7/10 · 9 June 2020]

You must have a great listening skill and memory to like this movie. It has to do with the law of attraction. I think you will agree with me if we are on the same page after you have watch the movie. Its 1 of those movies that you should not be distracted when watching.

Extremely boring and stupid

[gustheaffen · 2/10 · 23 May 2021]

This was so dumb and the story was so nonsensical. Why in the world was the girl in the woods alone? There is no way she could have even been carrying the money - money happens to be very heavy in a bag. Then of course when he goes back her partners show up. Why?! And then a guy from AA happens to be there too. And then they basically all run around the vast forest for days trying to kill each other and all the bad guys are woefully underdressed but a sick old man picks them off. Whatever. Not a lot of dialogue but what they did say was over the top dumb.

Was this scripted or did they just make the story up as they went along?

[jkrempelinsac · 1/10 · 17 May 2021]

Was this movie scripted or did they just make the dialogue up as they went along? I could've fallen asleep five minutes into the movie and woke up 60 minutes into the movie and not missed a thing. Who wrote this thing? Or wait, the few lines of elementary dialogue and the trekking in the snow, and the trekking in the snow, and did I say trekking in the snow??? Some actors just need to retire, or does he really need the money that bad? Overall a very sad state of affairs in the production of this movie.

NIFTY ROLE FOR THE AGING BERENGER...LOW-BUDGET THRILLER & CHARACTER STUDY

[LeonLouisRicci · 7/10 · 24 August 2021]

Underused Throughout His Film Career, Berenger is Still Willing to Step-Up and Brave the Harsh Shoot During a Winter in Maine.

He Carries this Modest Thriller Single-Handedly Disposing of Four Robbers and Murderers.

It's a Not-Bad Character Study with the Weather-Beaten Face and Body of the 71-Year-Old Thespian.

His Character is Next-to-Death Battling Lung-Cancer, Alcoholism, and Devastating Guilt of Killing His Daughter in a Drunk-Driving Accident.

He Fights His Demons as well as the Bad-Guys with Ex-Marine Gravitas.

Worth a Watch for Berenger's Performance and a Good Cat-and-Mouse Game within the Snow-Covered Mountains.

Embarrassing

[clsammy · 1/10 · 29 May 2020]

He can still act, but this "action revenge" setting is not what he should be doing. I was embarrassed for him to be doing this bad story line type movie. Get him a better story and he could do well.

Mental Isolation

[Intermissionman_ · 7/10 · 24 January 2021]

Tom Berenger Fans out there will dig this Movie about a Retired Marine (Jim Reed) Living and Hunting in the Icy Cold of Northern Maine. Fairly simple Plot twists, see Trailer, but if you Watch til the end you will Root for his character. Reasonable Run Time. (Debbie) Kristen Hager, the Waitress at the Small Town Diner does Good ! Available on Amazon Prime

PS Whoever wrote the Storyline on the IMDB site for this did not see the Movie ?

Dumb and dumber with guns

[anthonyjlangford · 5/10 · 7 July 2020]

It starts slow, but reasonably. Yet once the 'action' starts, all logic goes out the window. It's like the filmmakers decided to re-write the script once they got on location and the cold froze their brains.

Was it written by a bunch of high schoolers? The amount of stupid, unnatural, forced and illogical steps the characters take is an insult to the audience and all who are in it. Particularly our old man Tom. And he does seem very old. He should have skipped the trip, driven home and drank a cup of soup.

Actually this boring, lame movie rips off a far better film with it's plot twisting act, being The Aura from 2005. Watch that instead. Even if they went on location without a script they could have come up with something more realistic. You have to blame the director for sticking to the script. The only redeeming quality is the location. And the photography. 5 is generous. Lame as a dementia ridden chipmunk with frostbite.

little bit tension, but mostly a retirement issue from the 80's silverscreen heydays

[ops-52535 · 6/10 · 15 May 2020]

They are getting old, the supernovas that held our nerves back in the 70's and 80's. they do of course need butter on the bread too, so why not make another film in the glory of ageing, before the stars fades out to oblivion, though tom berenger will survive in the memory of 3 generations to come, he has had his glory moments....and his caracterisation effort in blood and money isnt a lowdown at all.

hes a hunter, searching maine for deers, till he takes a devastating blow of shooting a fur coated .....female, with a fortune of money in her baggage. , then the human hunt is on, with all his might and blood clothing cough of vanishing physical condition fading fast due to old age. no more i shall tell, just say its intense, but very very slow.

what makes me drool is the scripted story, and the choice of support cast to this film.its not at all good. then comes the score, wich can tell if its a good or bad movie. is it a synth score, well its a cheap and most surtainly a bad flick.

so mr. berenger, the grumpy old man remembers you best from lurking in the viatnamese jungel, so ending the show in the state of maine remaines to see if it was a success or not. its a small recommend, ive seen worse, and ive seen better features.

As enjoyable as getting teeth pulled

[mdderry · 1/10 · 16 May 2020]

Take away the snow and backdrop and you don't have a movie, it is as simple as that. Tom Berenger has accepted some terrible scripts over the past four years and this is no exception. He is due to retire and I am being respectful in saying that. I would not even class this as a B movie.

Realistic Low Key Action

[scalar-29514 · 9/10 · 11 April 2021]

If nothing else, checking with IMdb to see composite ratings in the low fives and seeing the film in spite of them has turned up some surprisingly good sleepers for me. Blood and Money is one of those films. In bone deep angst, Tom Berenger is a gritty shell of an alcoholic with only sad memories of his past, who unwittingly finds himself suddenly confronted with choices he least expected in his quest for solitude.

The action is low key, and much closer to the kind of thing you would expect if such events actually occurred. The story line is so engaging, I couldn't stop watching the film, which more than compensates for the wearisome, it was, "slow and boring" A-D comments here. If you enjoy cerebral approaches to "action" films, you'll enjoy this one. I certainly did. 9 of 10.

A Grim Story of Survival

[lavatch · 7/10 · 15 August 2020]

The makers of "Blood and Money" (a.k.a., "Allagash") deserve some points for creativity in completing a film within the guidelines of Dr. Anthony Fauci during the pandemic. With the exception of a few brief scenes that required greater"social distancing," the film was primarily Tom Berenger's grizzled character Jim Reed wandering around in a bleak winter landscape within the territory of the Allagash inside three million acres of forest land in Maine.

Jim Reed was haunted by the death of his daughter Katie, who perished in an auto accident while he was likely drunk at the wheel. The waitress Debbie at the local diner reminds Jim of Katie, and Debbie will figure prominently in the narrative.

After Jim accidentally shoots a woman in the forest, mistaking her for a deer, he discovers that she was one of the five robbers of a casino. Jim takes away both the evidence of his Bilson's cigarette butt and over one million dollars in Ben Franklin booty.

The remaining four robbers make the fatal mistake of splitting up, and Jim improbably picks them off one-by-one, huffing and puffing every inch of the way. He is especially clever in outfoxing the ringleader, who becomes his final victim.

There was a nice touch at the end of the film when Debbie receives Jim's note and a hastily scribbled map to the loot in a cave. At first, it appears as if Debbie will toss the map in the waste basket. But you need to see the film to learn what actually will Debbie Doo.

The writer fell asleep...

[MovieCriticOnline · 1/10 · 17 May 2020]

The writer fell asleep while writing this and they left a bunch of blank pages in it, because nothing happened for over 50% of the film. The problem with most Hollywood films is there is no character development or it is rushed. Here, it takes too long.

Another thing that always bothers me is actors that are supposed to be cool and not look suspicious ALWAYS force themselves to look and act suspicious.

We've just seen this story a million times before. Older guy with a past and estranged relationship with his family get caught up in something bad by accident and now has to fight for his life. Usually he suffers from some illness, like Bill Munny in Unforgiven.

Then just when he is about to get caught the dissolve into a night shot?

They need a good editor to cut this down 20 min.

I was looking forward to a good Rambo/Cliffhanger type of movie and I got "Winter's Bone" another bore-fest, and an old man who could hardly walk, was pathetically weak, and on the verge of dying. Not the kind of action hero I wanted to see. It was just so annoying to watch Tom hardly being able to move around. I just wanted it to end...

Skip it!

Bad!.........I mean Bad!!!

[bfly110494 · 1/10 · 1 June 2020]

Good god, Someone owes me 90+ minutes of my life back!

Tom Berenger

[josephmpapp · 7/10 · 2 August 2020]

I'm at the 45 minute mark as of now. Theres a lot of negative backlash at the action after this point.

First, Tom Berenger has a lot of talent. In the first 40 minutes, he conveys more in his facial Expressions than most actors. That's serious talent and it's on display in every scene I. This movie.

Second d, I'm coming up on the action now and it is a little jarring. A suspension of disbelief is needed. I recommend focusing on his performance over the scenario.

Third. In comparison to other aging action actors, this isn't like an expendables or taken film. He plays his age well and I'm enjoying it. You'll need to have the suspension of disbelief.

My hope, this is a good paycheck for a good actor. His facial expressions alone should get Tom Berenger more work. I'm hoping it works out.