Seldom, do you see a morality tale done with as evocative an edge as the one displayed in this Netflix movie. A story filled with stellar suspense is what “Blood Will Tell” (originally titled “La Misma Sangre”) delivers. Told in an easy to follow non-linear format and set in Argentina, the Spanish-language film opens as a family get-together is in lively progress.
The son-in-law of the host is already agitated, and when he witnesses a moment of unguarded tension between his in-laws, his feelings are only heightened. Married to the couple's elder daughter, Carla (Dolores Fonzi), with whom he has a son, Sebastián (Diego Velázquez) seems to already be on alert when it comes to his father-in-law, Elías (Oscar Martínez). Then it happens.
His mother-in-law is found dead from an apparent accident. Sebastián is immediately suspicious there is more to the story. These suspicions (what he believes he knows versus the facts) build to an intense climax. The slow boil of earlier tensions mounting before quietly erupting in unexpected ways.
As is becoming a popular theme of late, director Miguel Cohan's film dives into the impact of context and perspective. In life, what we often think we know, can definitively prove, and where the truth actually lies, often leads to an unresolved conclusion.
Unlike real life, scripted media can become a portal for the audience to see the absolute truth and weigh in on it. There are seldom such cold comforts in existence. That ability to know the complete picture and question it is available here.
“Blood Will Tell” teaches a valuable lesson in what it means to learn new information and how it alters the entire context of a scenario. First impressions can often mean a lot. However, an honest second and third look via newly received knowledge should count for a lot more.
This is an absorbing and suspensefully crafted drama. One that never bores. As Manuel and Ana Cohan's script breathes with quiet certainty. A kernel of suspicion and the shadow of truth take “Blood Will Tell” down a dramatic path.
As someone who fancies family dramas as a never-ending source of fascination and study, this film delivers a vast assortment of it. It cleverly utilizes the sense of a snapshot before revealing a longer gaze into the central family.
Why the son-in-law seems to already be at odds with his father-in-law is not explained. It is left open to interpretation. There are cracks to discerning it without anything concrete manifesting. This is part of the fascination in exploring the richly designed characters.
A deep and intricate understanding of the ensemble comes through in conversational-like waves. Gathering such a strong sense or impression of a cast of characters can frequently take hours. “Blood Will Tell” manages it in just under two.
The cast's natural performances bring the movie to life in a way that makes the audience feel like voyeurs to intimate scenes they should not be privy too. Oscar Martínez brilliantly portrays Elías by conveying the fully-realized edges of an enigmatic figure. One the audience will be grappling with long after the movie is over.
Like the revenge thriller “Your Son” (“Tu Hijo”), the ending of Manuel Cohan's film leaves viewers with a lot to contemplate, which is what quality movies should do. While some content can be like enjoying a dessert, there is nothing better than taking in a nutritious meal. One that serves to sustain thought for a long time. That is the experience that “Blood Will Tell” provides with stirring profundity.
Rating: 8/10
“Blood Will Tell” (originally titled “La Misma Sangre”) is currently streaming on Netflix.
[Featured Image by Walt Disney Studios / Netflix]
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