Filled with brilliant performances, the gritty drama Out of the Furnace tells the story of brotherly bonds and brutal fighting against the backdrop of an America in decline.

Filmmaker Scott Cooper, known as an actor's director, gives his talented cast space to expand into their performances -- from the consummate cinematic chameleon Christian Bale to the typically charming Woody Harrelson, who here offers a sadistic tour de force.

Out of the Furnace aspires to be something like the slower-paced, politically inspired movies of the early 1970s, by tying in the big picture issues facing the film's rust-belt , Pittsburgh-area town, but Cooper falters when he narrows his gaze towards the conclusion.

In the attached video, Eli Glasner reviews Out of the Furnace.