DOWNLOAD MOVIE: Blood Relatives (2022)

There are no cool vampires in “Blood Relatives,” a good-natured horror comedy about Francis, a leather-jacket-wearing bloodsucker who reunites with his estranged, half-human teenage daughter.

Character actor turned writer/director Noah Segan introduces us to Francis (also Segan) by showing us his vintage muscle car, a Barracuda, as it pulls into Texas and immediately breaks down. “Oy vey,” Francis says. He may be a predator, but Francis is also an outsider, a Jew, and now, a parent. There’s more Yiddish scattered throughout “Blood Relatives,” and it’s about as schticky and uncool as you might expect. Thankfully, Francis’ a-little-too-nice guy vibe also suits Segan, a staple of Rian Johnson’s movies since “Brick.”

Francis may be the lead protagonist in “Blood Relatives,” his debut feature as a director, but he’s not the real star. That would be Victoria Moroles, who plays Jane, Francis’ moody and inquisitive daughter. Most of “Blood Relatives” concerns Jane’s frustrated attempts at bonding with and being accepted by her father. It’s exciting to see Segan not only develop Moroles’ character but also frequently let her steal scenes from him. That’s probably the most surprising thing about Segan’s movie: it’s a two-hander that leans more heavily on its co-lead than its multihyphenate star.

Segan deliberately refuses to play to his strengths as Francis, a neurotic character whose predatory mystique is constantly challenged and second-guessed by secondary characters. Because optics matter, as one character puts it, whether we like it or not, and blasting Wagner’s “Gotterdamerung” in your flashy car tends to draw attention, even at the edge of town.