Out of the Furnace Review
RYAN: …and into the fire! Wow! Out of the Furnace is one gritty, intensely dramatic film. It’s produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and Ridley Scott and it starts out with such a disturbing bang you’re made to feel immediately uncomfortable. But it’s a strong movie with excellent performances.
CAROLINE: Yeah the trailer looked good. I haven’t seen it yet but always love Christian Bale. How is he?
RYAN: He’s awesome. He’s a great actor who has really avoided any slumps in his career. He even helped to make the blockbuster Dark Knight franchise seem edgier than the average mainstream series.
CAROLINE: Yeah but that Batman voice… Does he pull any of that in this one?
RYAN: (laughs) Thankfully no. His character in Out of the Furnace is very likable and complex. His relationship with Casey Affleck, who plays his brother, is multi-layered and they have great rapport. Christian does a phenom American accent. And Casey’s pushes himself. They should think of casting Casey as Robin now that his big brother Ben is Batman, you know?
CAROLINE: You’re getting sidetracked.
RYAN: Right – Out of the Furnace – I have to tell you, this movie really belongs to Woody Harrelson. It’s one of the best performances of his career. I lit’rally hate him in this movie! He plays the baddie so well. He’s just abhorrent.
CAROLINE: That’s some commitment.
RYAN: He just comes out of the gate with this intensity and maintains it. It’s really something different for him and creepy compared to how we more regularly see him.
CAROLINE: Yes he’s sort of an underrated actor. He’s versatile but not really a leading man and yet he’s strong.
RYAN: The score is also really fantastic in this film; lots of strings and moodiness that add to what you’re feeling. The music propels the story forward and puts you on edge.
CAROLINE: How are Willem Dafoe and Zoe Saldana?
RYAN: Good, layered also. Zoe doesn’t have a huge role but she does have one emotionally demanding scene she handled really well. But really it’s Woody, Christian and Casey. The movie makes you think about what it’s like to be stuck in life without many options and how you struggle with vices and choices.
CAROLINE: I appreciate a movie with some layers and complexity.
RYAN: This totally is. There is a bit of that Fight Club quality here but I really like they way the story intercuts between the two brothers and shows their differences. There’s also a bit of a vigilante twist to it. It’s violent, sometimes shocking and upsetting, but certainly commanding.
