Scott Cooper's debut Crazy Heart felt like it came from an experienced and mature director, but it was too bland and predictable to be anything truly compelling or moving. The premise of his followup Out Of The Furnace is nothing new, it has the potential to add an essential grit to Cooper's style. But it seemed to overcompensate for Crazy Heart. It makes you feel, but its dreary melancholy just makes you feel sad and that can only be satisfying in certain doses. Fortunately, it has plenty of energy to back it up. Bale and Affleck are a great pair and while their characters may not be the most interesting, they're a delight to watch when they're on screen together with that brotherhood bond feeling real. Unfortunately some of the cast are dialed to a different frequency with Harrelson and Whitaker misfiring. Its first half is entertaining, taking many turns per minute, even if they can be melodramatic at times it's the sincerity of the actors that makes it work. Unfortunately the momentum slows down in the second half when it finally reaches the plot promised in the trailer and it appears to deflate to its inevitable end. It's a good film in competent hands, but nothing special.
7/10
7/10