Though the premise to Scott Cooper’s Out of the Furnace is somewhat unoriginal, with a conventional revenge plot that’s grown tired in contemporary cinema, the filmmaker’s sophomore feature – after the double Academy Award winning Crazy Heart – manages to illuminate this concept, as the themes presented are done so with such ingenuity and allure. Cooper surprises you, and takes you places you aren’t expecting to go – and when you throw in an array of spellbindingly impressive performances, you’re onto a winner.
Before our protagonists enter the fray, we are introduced to the violently unpredictable and deranged Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson), who causes something of a stir at a drive-in cinema. Moments later we meet Russell Baze (Christian Bale) – a hardworking, diligent man who strives for a better life alongside his partner, Lena (Zoe Saldana). However a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in jail on drink driving charges,...
Before our protagonists enter the fray, we are introduced to the violently unpredictable and deranged Harlan DeGroat (Woody Harrelson), who causes something of a stir at a drive-in cinema. Moments later we meet Russell Baze (Christian Bale) – a hardworking, diligent man who strives for a better life alongside his partner, Lena (Zoe Saldana). However a cruel twist of fate lands Russell in jail on drink driving charges,...
- 1/27/2014
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Willem Dafoe is a chameleon, and everyone knows it. He’s ruled as Emperor to the Green Martian Tharks, done a painfully human portrait of Jesus, terrorized Spider-Man, eaten a bird as Max Schreck, and, of course, convincingly played a Huey Lewis and the News fan. Yet, that handful of roles doesn’t even begin to cover half of the shapeshifting Dafoe has done over his career. He can carry a picture, light some sparks with only a few minutes of screen time, or, in the case of The Fantastic Mr. Fox, have his voice do all the work. In Out of the Furnace he plays John Petty, a low-rent gangster Rodney Baze Jr. (Casey Affleck) does underground fights for. All of Dafoe’s scenes either involve Affleck, Christian Bale, or Woody Harrelson. Working opposite of those three isn’t exactly a bad day’s work. Dafoe has acted with some of the best (including himself in...
- 12/6/2013
- by Jack Giroux
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
One overriding thought dominated my time with Scott Cooper’s stunningly disappointing “Out of the Furnace” – I just don’t care. When I wasn’t picking apart the gigantic plot holes in the narrative, I was marveling at the overheated characters who have been crafted from cliché instead of the real world.
This is macho storytelling, the kind of movie that thinks it’s saying something about men who punch, drink, and hunt but lacks the realism to give its alpha-male story any weight. Only typically solid performances from a cast far-too-talented for this material give it any justification for existence.
Rating: 1.5/5.0
Russell Baze (Christian Bale) is an old-fashioned good guy. He loves his girl Lena (Zoe Saldana), takes care of his dying father, and looks out for his soldier brother Rodney (Casey Affleck). Little bro is kind of a fuck-up, first seen at an Otb, just so we know...
This is macho storytelling, the kind of movie that thinks it’s saying something about men who punch, drink, and hunt but lacks the realism to give its alpha-male story any weight. Only typically solid performances from a cast far-too-talented for this material give it any justification for existence.
Rating: 1.5/5.0
Russell Baze (Christian Bale) is an old-fashioned good guy. He loves his girl Lena (Zoe Saldana), takes care of his dying father, and looks out for his soldier brother Rodney (Casey Affleck). Little bro is kind of a fuck-up, first seen at an Otb, just so we know...
- 12/6/2013
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Fire Walk: Cooper’s Sophomore Effort a Somber, Fatalistic Malaise
Director Scott Cooper returns with Out of the Furnace, his first film since his Oscar winning 2009 feature debut, Crazy Heart, working from a retooled script by Brad Ingelsby. Wearing us down with its man vs. fate inevitability, Cooper’s film is clearly not out to surprise or shock. As predictable as its outcome may be, which feels like watching a slow motion train wreck, even an oddly emotional distance from all its supporting characters can’t distract from Cooper’s adept execution, giving us familiar characters in familiar scenarios via subtlety effective bits and pieces rather than being inveigled by showy flairs or hysterical melodrama. It’s a film that’s hard to love, and a rather obvious homage to Cimino’s The Deer Hunter may distract more than enhance the narrative fabric. But regardless of all this, at its...
Director Scott Cooper returns with Out of the Furnace, his first film since his Oscar winning 2009 feature debut, Crazy Heart, working from a retooled script by Brad Ingelsby. Wearing us down with its man vs. fate inevitability, Cooper’s film is clearly not out to surprise or shock. As predictable as its outcome may be, which feels like watching a slow motion train wreck, even an oddly emotional distance from all its supporting characters can’t distract from Cooper’s adept execution, giving us familiar characters in familiar scenarios via subtlety effective bits and pieces rather than being inveigled by showy flairs or hysterical melodrama. It’s a film that’s hard to love, and a rather obvious homage to Cimino’s The Deer Hunter may distract more than enhance the narrative fabric. But regardless of all this, at its...
- 12/4/2013
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
Out of the Furnace has released its first clip.
Christian Bale and Woody Harrelson have a run-in in the video posted by Yahoo! Movies.
Willem Dafoe's John Petty can also be glimpsed in the clip, in which Bale interrupts a suspicious and sinister back room meeting.
Bale stars as Russell Baze, a man who goes on the search for his missing brother (Casey Affleck) when the police are unable to find him.
Forest Whitaker, Zoe Saldana and Sam Shepard also star in the film, which was written and directed by Scott Cooper.
Out of the Furnace will open in North America on December 6 and in the UK on January 31.
Christian Bale and Woody Harrelson have a run-in in the video posted by Yahoo! Movies.
Willem Dafoe's John Petty can also be glimpsed in the clip, in which Bale interrupts a suspicious and sinister back room meeting.
Bale stars as Russell Baze, a man who goes on the search for his missing brother (Casey Affleck) when the police are unable to find him.
Forest Whitaker, Zoe Saldana and Sam Shepard also star in the film, which was written and directed by Scott Cooper.
Out of the Furnace will open in North America on December 6 and in the UK on January 31.
- 11/6/2013
- Digital Spy
Well, it’s official, Relativity Media has closed a deal with two-time Oscar-nominee Willem Dafoe to join the already stellar cast of its gritty dramatic thriller currently titled Out of the Furnace. Dafoe, playing the role of a sleazy bookie John Petty is the latest name to join Scott Cooper’s crime thriller which started shooting in [...]
Continue reading Willem Dafoe Joins Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace on FilmoFilia.
Related posts: Woody Harrelson to Join Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace Christian Bale And Casey Affleck Confirmed For Out Of The Furnace Billy Bob Thornton and Forest Whitaker Opposite Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace...
Continue reading Willem Dafoe Joins Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace on FilmoFilia.
Related posts: Woody Harrelson to Join Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace Christian Bale And Casey Affleck Confirmed For Out Of The Furnace Billy Bob Thornton and Forest Whitaker Opposite Christian Bale in Out Of The Furnace...
- 4/27/2012
- by Nick Martin
- Filmofilia
Talk about having an impressive ensemble. “Crazy Heart” helmer Scott Cooper has already lined up a remarkable array of players for "Out of the Furnace," his first directorial effort since his breakout hit landed actor Jeff Bridges a Best Actor Oscar. The Black List-approved script is set in Indiana in 1986 and follows Slim (Christian Bale), recently released from prison, who intends to marry his girlfriend (Zoe Saldana) but instead is drawn into a quest for revenge when his brother (Casey Affleck) is murdered after getting involved in the gambling racket. This supposedly “No Country For Old Men”-like picture also has Sam Shepard, Woody Harrelson and Forest Whitaker, and has now added one more exceptional thespian to the mix.
Willem Dafoe, a talent who requires no introduction, is joining the cast in this gritty tale based on a script initially by Brad Inglesby that was titled “The Low Dwellers.
Willem Dafoe, a talent who requires no introduction, is joining the cast in this gritty tale based on a script initially by Brad Inglesby that was titled “The Low Dwellers.
- 4/27/2012
- by Benjamin Wright
- The Playlist
Out of the Furnace
Willem Dafoe will play the role of John Petty in Scott Cooper's gritty dramatic thriller "Out of the Furnace" at Relativity Media.
Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shepard, Woody Harrelson and Forest Whitaker star. Shooting kicks off April 13th on location in Braddock, Pennsylvania. [Source: Vulture]
Kilimanjaro
Brian Geraghty ("The Hurt Locker") has joined Walter Strafford's indie film "Kilimanjaro".
Geraghty plays a man determined to climb the African peak after a recent breakup. Shooting kicks off mid-May in New York. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter]
Innocence
Kelly Reilly ("Sherlock Holmes"), Chloe Sevigny ("American Psycho") and Sophie Curtis ("The English Teacher") have joined the cast of vampire tale "Innocence" at Bankside Films and Killer Films.
The story follows a bereaved girl who recently lost her mother and finds herself being targeted by a group of vampires at her elitist private school who want to make her a ritual virgin sacrifice.
Willem Dafoe will play the role of John Petty in Scott Cooper's gritty dramatic thriller "Out of the Furnace" at Relativity Media.
Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Sam Shepard, Woody Harrelson and Forest Whitaker star. Shooting kicks off April 13th on location in Braddock, Pennsylvania. [Source: Vulture]
Kilimanjaro
Brian Geraghty ("The Hurt Locker") has joined Walter Strafford's indie film "Kilimanjaro".
Geraghty plays a man determined to climb the African peak after a recent breakup. Shooting kicks off mid-May in New York. [Source: The Hollywood Reporter]
Innocence
Kelly Reilly ("Sherlock Holmes"), Chloe Sevigny ("American Psycho") and Sophie Curtis ("The English Teacher") have joined the cast of vampire tale "Innocence" at Bankside Films and Killer Films.
The story follows a bereaved girl who recently lost her mother and finds herself being targeted by a group of vampires at her elitist private school who want to make her a ritual virgin sacrifice.
- 4/27/2012
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
Willem Dafoe is the latest name to join the cast of Scott Cooper's Out of the Furnace , Relativity Media announced today, adding that the film may end up switching to a different title in the near future. Dafoe, playing the role of John Petty, joins the previously-announced cast that includes Oscar-winner Christian Bale ( The Fighter ), Oscar-nominated Casey Affleck ( The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford ), Zoe Saldana ( Avatar ), Oscar-nominated Sam Shepard ( The Right Stuff ), Oscar-nominated Woody Harrelson ( The Messenger ) and Oscar-winner Forest Whitaker ( The Last King of Scotland ). The film, which started shooting on April 13th on location in Braddock, Pennsylvania, is both written and directed by Cooper ( Crazy Heart ). Described as a gripping...
- 4/26/2012
- Comingsoon.net
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