Reel Facts & Opinions: Everything You Need to Know About OUT OF THE FURNACE

 

This week, one of the most anticipated films of the year rolls around in the form of OUT OF THE FURNACE; the second film from writer/director Scott Cooper. Here is everything you need to know by way of the frequently asked questions:

Who is this Scott Cooper bloke? – Scott Cooper’s first film was CRAZY HEART in 2009, which was nominated for three Oscars…winning two. The film also won two Golden Globes.

Who stars in this? – OUT OF THE FURNACE is packed with past Oscar contenders and winners. Christian Bale (THE FIGHTER, THE DARK KNIGHT), Casey Affleck (GONE BABY GONE, THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD), Woody Harrelson (THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLINT), Forest Whitaker (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND), Willem Dafoe (PLATOON), Sam Shepard (THE RIGHT STUFF), and Zoe Saldana (STAR TREK, AVATAR).

What’s it all about? – Bale and Affleck play two brothers living in the Rust Belt. When the youngest brother returns home from military service and gets himself into a pickle, older brother takes matters into his own hands when he gets no help from the local police.

What is this based on? – OUT OF THE FURNACE is an original screenplay, although it is inspired by an article that Cooper read about the town of Braddock, Pennsylvania…a declining steel industry town outside of Pittsburgh. The story has no relation to the 1941 novel Out of this Furnace (Thomas Bell), which also takes place in Braddock.

Any other interesting pieces and parts? – The film is produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and Ridley Scott. It was filmed around the Pittsburgh area…with some locations near the actual Braddock. Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder recorded a new song for the soundtrack, while Dickon Hinchliffe, who composed the score for WINTER’S BONE in 2010, will provide the rest of the score.

What to expect? – Since we’ve only seen one film from Cooper so far it’s a small sample to look at, but it’s a noteworthy one. Powerful performances are what to expect from OUT OF THE FURNACE. Scott Cooper’s work in CRAZY HEART earned memorable and fantastic performances out of his cast; Jeff Bridges took home his first Oscar while Maggie Gyllenhaal got her first nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Cooper also seems to have an ear for music, as CRAZY HEART also won Best Original Song that year (The Weary Kind). On a personal note, this Blogger has been predicting all Fall that Christian Bale will be nominated for two Oscars this year. That campaign begins this weekend.

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OUT OF THE FURNACE opens wide December 6^th.