Christian Bale gives a powerhouse performance in Out of the Furnace.Christian Bale gives a powerhouse performance in Out of the Furnace.

Out of the Furnace (2013)
Certified: 15
Duration: 116 minutes
Directed by: Scott Cooper
Starring: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe, Sam Shepard, Boyd Holbrook
KRS release

Set in 2008, Out of the Furnace focuses on the relationship of American brothers Russell Baze (Christian Bale) and Rodney Baze Jr (Casey Affleck).

The two have lived in the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania, all their lives. Russell has followed in the footsteps of his father, who is terminally ill, and works at the mill. Rodney is always on the move and has already served three tours of duty in Iraq. But the latter has a problem: he has a gambling debt and he owes a lot of money to John Petty (Willem Dafoe), who owns a bar and is also a local bookie. At one point Russell is caught in an incident and is imprisoned for manslaughter. While serving time, his girlfriend Lena (Zoe Saldana) starts a relationship with sheriff Wesley Barnes (Forest Whitaker).

On release, Russell finds out that Rodney has been taking part in street fighting for John even though his refusal to take a fall brings him into trouble. One person he clashes with is Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson), a hillbilly who runs drugs and is very unstable and violent. Soon Rodney goes missing and Russell joins up with his uncle Red (Sam Shepard) to find out what happened.

Bale gives another powerhouse performance. He works well with director Scott Cooper who had delivered the strong film Crazy Heart in 2009.

Out of the Furnace almost takes us back in time in the way it presents itself and its story. It looks and feels raw, very much in the style of 1970s film-making.

It also shows a different side to America than other Hollywood movies. It portrays desperation, unemployment, violence and a place where the American Dream is very much a dream.

The picture is relentless and aggressive in its approach and pacing. The story does not go into overt elaboration, but manages to elicit the rage and helplessness of these people caught in a sea of sharks.

When we see Harlan’s treatment of a woman and a bystander who decides to intervene at the start of the film, we realise that these people are not to be messed with and the law seems impotent in such situations. This search for justice is at the core of Out of the Furnace.

Cooper’s camera focuses on the characters’ facial expressions, which say so much more than words. Each protagonist is on a sort of personal quest.

Affleck is desperate to find peace and he takes more and more risks for this reason, while Saldana’s character wants stability in life, which she finds with the sheriff. Bale evinces sympathy and empathy as he becomes more and more alone with his inner demons while Harrelson’s character bleeds anger and violence.

The ambience is further set by Dickon Hinchliffe’s score which is steely in its approach and Masanobu Takayana’s cinematography – a play of lights and shadows.

Heartbreaking, at times emotionally uneven, while at others threatening or hungry in its despair, Out of the Furnace is a powerful film that takes a very personal approach in its depiction of man and the death of his dreams.

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