Blood Cells

A dreary, drifting story about a dreary, drifting man who wanders through England in the wake of a “mad cow” epidemic that destroyed his family farm, Blood Cells is an unfocused movie with a ghost for a central character. Adam (Barry Ward) is living a rootless existence following his father's suicide, which was a response to financial ruin after the massive spread of a livestock disease that wiped out many ranchers in the U.K. A natural charmer getting by on free drinks and the occasional cash handout, Adam receives a phone call from a brother who delivers an ultimatum: come see your family now, or never attempt to do so again. Adam's ambivalent journey leads him down a few side roads, reconnecting with old friends and an ex-girlfriend, with the latter making a considerable sacrifice to help him out. Writers-directors Joseph Bull and Luke Seomore don't provide much reason to find Adam a compelling anti-hero (or even a sympathetic figure), and the tonal monotony here--from boring handheld camerawork to the rainy-grey pallor throughout—prove wearying. Not recommended. (T. Keogh)