Out of the Furnace works as a bleak character piece, but fails as a drama and thriller. Actor turned director Scott Cooper paints a vivid portrait of lost souls in an economically depressed small town. But the plot is paper thin at best. There's also a lack of realism in the way characters handle certain common sense situations. I had high expectations for this film after Cooper's solid debut, Crazy Heart. Unfortunately he takes a step back here, falling in love with the characters while neglecting the story.

Christian Bale stars as Russell Blaze, a steelworker in a fading Pennsylvania town circa 2008. He has a hard luck brother, Rodney (Casey Affleck), that likes to gamble and is about to ship off to Iraq. Zoe Saldana co-stars as Lena, Russell's girlfriend. They may be poor, but are ostensibly happy until a tragic accident sends Russell to prison. While gone, his brother Rodney embarks on multiple tours of duty, becoming disenchanted with life. He starts to fight in underground boxing matches with a small time hustler (Willem Defoe). Both men get in deep with a hillbilly psychopath called Harlan Degroat (Woody Harrelson). Russell is released from prison into a far different world than the one he left. When Rodney goes missing, he takes the search into his own hands after the law finds nothing.

Out of the Furnace starts off promising. The opening scene is fairly engaging, so you get the sense that this film is going to be riveting. That fades like a fart in the wind as the plot bogs down. The attention to the characters is worthwhile if the story accompanies that exposition. Here, it seems like we're getting to know everyone to the toenail, but feels forced when the crime drama kicks in. I would have loved a longer run time to add more depth to the back story of Rodney's fights and the search for Harlan Degroat. It wraps up too neatly, because Degroat and law enforcement behave nonsensically. I find it very hard to believe a career criminal and maniac, as Degroat is built up to be, that outsmarts the cops at every turn can be handled so deftly by Russell. It's a bridge too far in this story.

Casey Affleck stands out as the broken Rodney. I've never pictured him in a tough guy role, but he pulls it off. Lean and sinewy, he gives and gets in several bone crushing fistfights. Bale is decent enough. There's a couple of scenes of him smelting to sell the blue collar bit. Zoe Saldana is just a sad, pretty face; while Woody Harrelson resurrects his Natural Born Killers and Zombie Land persona.

Out of the Furnace isn't particularly long, but had me looking at my watch halfway through. It loses steam and becomes predictable. Cooper pays too much attention to his actors. Performances are key to any film's success, but the story and environment ultimately have to be as captivating. Otherwise it becomes a drawn out fluff piece for acting accolades. Save this one for cable.