CITY BY THE SEA (15)

The relationship between a father and son can be fractious at the best of times and in City By The Sea, those paternal bonds are tested to breaking point.

A police officer discovers that his only child has been implicated in a murder enquiry, and he is forced to make a stark choice between duty and family loyalty.

Detective Vincent LaMarca (Robert De Niro) is a homicide cop who has struggled all his life to escape from the shadow cast by his father - a convicted baby killer.

The terrible legacy of the past has weighed heavily on Vincent and his personal relationships have suffered as a consequence. He walked out on his wife Maggie (Patti LuPone) and son Joey (James Franco) and is now tentatively dating Michelle (Frances McDormand).

During the routine search of a warehouse, Vincent's partner Reg (George Dzundza) is shot dead, and Joey is named as the chief suspect.

With his colleagues baying for blood and girlfriend Michelle as his sole support, Vincent races against time to prove the boy's innocence. Matters are further complicated with the arrival of Joey's junkie girlfriend, Gina (Eliza Dushku), who needs a place to stay with their son.

Despite a starry cast, City By The Sea fails to make much of an impression, burdened with an uninvolving plot and poorly sketched characters.

De Niro, McDormand and Franco bring gravitas to the roles, but there's only so much they can do with the meagre source material.

Their relationships feel contrived and it's not hard to see why Vincent has becomes estranged from his son.