"Out of the Furnace" a slow, downbeat but well-acted tale of redemption
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| Christian Bale |
The well-acted new drama "Out of the Furnace" has a superb cast, director and story though the depressing story doesn't live to the talent involved. Russell Baze (Christian Bale) has a rough life: he works a dead-end blue collar job at the local steel mill by day, and cares for his terminally ill father by night. When Russell's brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) returns home from serving time in Iraq, he gets lured into one of the most ruthless crime rings in the Northeast and mysteriously disappears. Directed and co-written by "Crazy Heart's" Scott Cooper, it's a low-key, downbeat film peppered with a few powerfully strong moments, though overall it's an unsatisfying look at someone trying to redeem himself. Bale gives another believable turn and grounds the film well; he and Woody Harrelson, playing a terrific, slimeball villain, have some good moments together. The rest of the A-list cast, however, is largely underutilized. Affleck is good, but Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe and Sam Shepherd have little to do in their fleeting moments on screen (particularly Whitaker, in a bafflingly small part). The second act in particular drags before it picks up again in its final, violent act. "Out of the Furnace" is a well-acted but uninvolving tale that lacks a strong narrative to have a huge impact. This one is definitely a rental.
Wes's Grade: C+
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