Genre films have often utilized the depiction of vampirism as a powerful metaphor for addiction, as seen in films like The Hunger (1983), The Addiction (19995), and Habit (1997). More recently, My Heart Can’t Beat Unless You Tell It To (2020) used vampirism as a potent allegory not only for addiction, but also for people living with chronic illness and the toll it takes on their caregivers. In his new film Blood, written by Will Honley (Bloodline), director Brad Anderson (Session 9, The Machinist) adeptly blends motherhood, vampirism, and chronic illness, emphasized by the need for blood, to present a compelling story of a family torn apart.
Blood stars Michelle Monaghan as Jess, a caring nurse and mother, who is also a recovering addict going through a nasty divorce and a battle for custody of her children. Jess’ ex-husband, played by Skeet Ulrich, got the house, the babysitter, and a new baby, and is using Jess’ previous struggles with addiction against her in court. Meanwhile, Jess has to move her kids Tyler (Skylar Morgan Jones) and Owen (Finlay Wojtak-Hissong) into her family farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. Shortly after moving into the farmhouse, Tyler and Owen discover a dried-up lake with a tree in the middle, which strangely makes them feel uneasy. Later, Owen’s dog Pippin appears to be spooked by something in the woods and then disappears, leaving Owen inconsolable.
When Pippin reappears one evening, Owen runs outside to greet him, but is viciously attacked by the dog, causing him to lose a lot of blood and end up hospitalized and requiring a blood transfusion. Jess is overjoyed when Owen finally wakes up in the hospital and tells her he is hungry; but after eating some food, Owen’s condition worsens.
Upon discovering that drinking blood makes Owen feel better, Jess is initially repulsed, but she soon finds herself inventing more and more creative ways to procure blood to keep her son healthy. The toll of taking care of Owen leaves Jess lethargic and distracted, leading her ex-husband to suspect she is using drugs again. Michelle Monaghan gives a passionate performance as Jess, who is not only struggling with relapsing, but also desperately trying to keep Owen alive, while hiding his hideous need for blood from everyone around her. As Owen’s hunger grows, Jess deteriorates physically and mentally, which leaves her on the verge of losing everything, including custody of her children. Skylar Morgan Jones gives a strong performance as Tyler, while Finlay Wojtak-Hissong is unnerving as Owen, as his need for blood becomes all-consuming and animalistic.
Blood presents Jess as a tired caregiver, a troubled addict, and a frantic enabler, who not only wants to save her son, but also urgently needs to save herself. Owen’s condition consumes Jess’ life, which leaves her drained and exhibiting all the signs of an overly extended caregiver, but her physical and mental state also mimic substance abuse. While Blood sometimes feels like its treading familiar territory, it manages to portray Jess’ seemingly hopeless situation in a distressingly realistic way that feels authentic. While using the familiar metaphor of vampirism as addiction, Blood also explores the idea of Owen’s need for blood as a chronic illness and the implications of Jess as an exhausted caregiver who has to secretly find ways to acquire blood, while also resisting the urge to use drugs to make it easier to bear.
Ultimately, with a gripping performance from Michelle Monaghan and woefully intense themes of addiction and chronic illness, Blood painfully illustrates the fact that even when it feels impossible, we have to heal ourselves before we can help anyone else.
Vertical will release Blood in theaters on January 27 and on demand January 31.
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