The Brothers Grim

Out of the Furnace

Director: Scott Cooper Writers: Bret Ingelsby, Scott Cooper Starring: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker, Sam Shepard Runtime: 116 minutes Certification: 15

Shocked to see how Christian Bale was a ‘fatman’ in American Hustle? The clearly dedicated actor is back to a healthier looking shape in Scott Cooper’s highly depressing thriller that highlights that not all of America is a land of opportunity. No protagonist here can catch a break in this grim, bleak look at what it’s like when money is tight and jobs are scarce. Russell Baze (Bale) is managing to make ends meet with his blue-collar factory job in Rust Belt, a part of America that doesn’t appear in the usual flashy, glamorous depiction. With his sick, dying father to look after from home (a sure dig at the ever-so-criticised American healthcare system, or the lack thereof), his dream for a better life seems to be slipping away. His younger brother Rodney (Casey Affleck) is a soldier about to be deployed to fight for his country (again, something that hints at the government’s failure to take care of its citizens). The only positive aspect here is his girlfriend Lena (Zoe Saldana), who is eager to start a family with him, although he’s hesitant for obvious reasons. The set-up alone is dark and depressing enough. And it truly is a shock to see such desperate individuals stuck in a perpetual cycle of hardship. But then what happens? Something to make it all worse for everyone involved. A fatal DUI lands Russell in jail, and whilst serving his time, Lena has moved on with Sheriff Wesley Barnes (Forest Whitaker), his father passes away, and Rodney, returned from war, is suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, not quite settling into civilian life, participating in illegal underground street fights and getting mixed up with some very unpleasant characters who don’t take kindly to unpaid debts. Director Scott Cooper is nowhere near done yet. For the film’s major source of conflict, something that kicks our protagonist into gear is the mysterious disappearance of his brother. The brutal fist-fights Rodney has gotten himself mixed up in are run by Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson), who is a nasty piece of work played so disturbingly brilliantly by Harrelson. There is most certainly a real sense of danger whenever this unpredictable, trigger-happy villain appears, and that he’s lurking around the tightly-knit community of the Ramapo mountains which virtually shields him from the law, is an even more troubling prospect. His father and girlfriend gone, and now his brother missing, Russell ignores the advice of Sheriff Wesley to stay away and let law enforcement do their job. Teamed up with his uncle Gerald Baze (Sam Shepard), Russell is out for answers and possibly for blood, given the uncertainty surrounding Rodney’s circumstances. The glacial pace at which it moves works to the film’s advantage in its build-up, setting the general scenery, but when it comes to actually getting on with the important crime-solving, thrilling part, Russell starts taking charge, gets his hunting rifle out, and starts to do some vigilante crime-fighting of his own. Despite Bale’s typically strong, convincing lead performance, there is too much back and forth meandering of the narrative, and too much relies on contrived plot developments to move forward. Plus there are far too many wasted characters and actors to mention. Zoe Saldana’s role is completely thankless and somewhat unnecessary, given how quickly she’s written off, it’s confusing to see why Forest Whitaker was cast in a role that doesn’t end up being at all crucial, the same goes for Willem Dafoe and Sam Shepard. Out of the Furnace finds its best scenes when it pairs up the siblings. Affleck is outstanding in the wounded, traumatised role, and with Bale, the two embody the difficulties and hardship of an everyday working man and their relationship provides some heart-breaking insight into how it’s not a wonderful life they lead.