Movie Reviews: "Out of the Furnace" - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

JamesG · 12-06-2013, 07:12 PM

Movie Reviews: Out of the Furnace

Out of the Furnace, a story of working class turmoil and frustration, has critics singing its praises so far. That’s not unexpected – starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, the movie boasts plenty of talent.

Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Willem Defoe, Forest Whitaker and Sam Shepard all give their best in Out of the Furnace, which tells the story of Russell Baze (Christian Bale) taking justice into his own hands after the disappearance of his younger brother Rodney (Affleck).

It’s set to the background of economic decline and social struggle, making this a film about the dark, often ignored side of the American dream. So far the film has a 73% fresh rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes

The LA Times’ Betsey Shakey is impressed both with the “lean script,” which “gives a face to the all too familiar struggle” as well as the strong performances of the all-star cast.

“Bale and Affleck are as nuanced as Harrelson is unhinged,” the review notes “It is among the finest work done by all three.”

Variety’s Scott Foundas agrees, describing the film as, “a starkly powerful drama that in some ways feels like an Iraq-era bookend to The Deer Hunter, with bare-knuckle boxing substituted for Russian roulette.”

Besides the performances, Foundas’ review also notes the atmosphere that director Scott Cooper manages to create through the film’s slow buildup.

“The dead-end mood of the place makes the film a less audience-friendly, but more poignant than some of Cooper’s other work. Adding to this is the violent, unpredictable force of life itself which helps this screenplay stand out.”

The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis pegges the film as an all-American story, stripped of any glamour and blind optimism.

“It’s a heavy, solemn tale of blood ties that turns into a melodramatic gusher filled with abstractions about masculinity, America and violence. Out of the Furnace is gritty, nuanced and has very realistic characters.”

-IMDb News

12-06-2013, 07:12 PM	#1
JamesG Freakshow Moderator Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 01, 2008 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 57,136	Movie Reviews: "Out of the Furnace" Movie Reviews: Out of the Furnace Out of the Furnace, a story of working class turmoil and frustration, has critics singing its praises so far. That’s not unexpected – starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, the movie boasts plenty of talent. Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson, Willem Defoe, Forest Whitaker and Sam Shepard all give their best in Out of the Furnace, which tells the story of Russell Baze (Christian Bale) taking justice into his own hands after the disappearance of his younger brother Rodney (Affleck). It’s set to the background of economic decline and social struggle, making this a film about the dark, often ignored side of the American dream. So far the film has a 73% fresh rating on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes The LA Times’ Betsey Shakey is impressed both with the “lean script,” which “gives a face to the all too familiar struggle” as well as the strong performances of the all-star cast. “Bale and Affleck are as nuanced as Harrelson is unhinged,” the review notes “It is among the finest work done by all three.” Variety’s Scott Foundas agrees, describing the film as, “a starkly powerful drama that in some ways feels like an Iraq-era bookend to The Deer Hunter, with bare-knuckle boxing substituted for Russian roulette.” Besides the performances, Foundas’ review also notes the atmosphere that director Scott Cooper manages to create through the film’s slow buildup. “The dead-end mood of the place makes the film a less audience-friendly, but more poignant than some of Cooper’s other work. Adding to this is the violent, unpredictable force of life itself which helps this screenplay stand out.” The New York Times’ Manohla Dargis pegges the film as an all-American story, stripped of any glamour and blind optimism. “It’s a heavy, solemn tale of blood ties that turns into a melodramatic gusher filled with abstractions about masculinity, America and violence. Out of the Furnace is gritty, nuanced and has very realistic characters.” -IMDb News