FAMILY IS FAMILY. BLOOD IS BLOOD.

The Blaine brothers (Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell) have favors to ask their wealthy uncle (Tom Wilkinson), but it turns out that he wants something much more gruesome from them. Director Woody Allen’s third London movie is a working-class drama that looks like a Greek tragedy; the theme is close to Match Point and other Allen thrillers. We’ve seen it before, but the story and the cast nevertheless keep it entertaining enough even though we realize from the start that there is no future for the Blaine boys. One problem: Allen doesn’t seem to have been inspired; no original touches.

2008-U.S.-Britain. 108 min. Color. Written and directed by Woody Allen. Cast: Ewan McGregor (Ian Blaine), Colin Farrell (Terry Blaine), Hayley Atwell (Angela Stark), Sally Hawkins, Tom Wilkinson, John Benfield. 

IMDb