Harlan Degroat (Harrelson) is mean spirited sociopath. The opening scene shows him terrorizing the woman with him, beating a guy senseless, and challenging any onlooker to take him on. On top of his lunacy, he's also addicted to meth, and heads up his own illegal fighting matches near the mountain community where he lives. No one dares to speak a word against him, and the law won't go near him. He's basically a backwater kingpin, you could say.
Russell Baze (Bale) is a simple guy. He works as a furnace operator at the steel mill in his hometown, loves his girlfriend Lena (Saldana)(and has plans to marry her), and does what he can to try and keep his little brother Rodney (Affleck) out of trouble with his gambling debts. Rodney has been spending his time betting on anything he can before he has to begin his fourth tour of duty in Iraq. Unfortunately he has had a really bad streak of luck as of late, so much so that it's said to Russell that his brother might be safer in Iraq than at home. Knowing this, Russell spends his time working double shifts to pay off his brothers debts.
One evening Russell was waiting at their local bar to meet Rodney for a drink. Rodney was a no show, but Russell had a few drinks while he waited. Eventually Russell heads home to see Lena, but in a cruel twist of fate he crashes into a car that is backing up onto the road (Russell wasn't driving crazy or swerving, he just looked down for a second to turn the radio dial. Could've been anyone of us).
When we next see Russell, Rodney is visiting him in prison. Will Rodney be able to stay out of trouble while Russell is locked up?
This movie is far from original,, but the SUPERB cast makes up for that lack in a big way. Bale, Affleck, Dafoe, Harrelson, Saldana, Whitaker, Shepard,,, need I say more? Their performances make this movie so much more than an average repeat of the same ole same ole. It's a barely 7 rating, imo,, but if you want to see great actors acting,, this is one you could certainly check out.
Russell Baze (Bale) is a simple guy. He works as a furnace operator at the steel mill in his hometown, loves his girlfriend Lena (Saldana)(and has plans to marry her), and does what he can to try and keep his little brother Rodney (Affleck) out of trouble with his gambling debts. Rodney has been spending his time betting on anything he can before he has to begin his fourth tour of duty in Iraq. Unfortunately he has had a really bad streak of luck as of late, so much so that it's said to Russell that his brother might be safer in Iraq than at home. Knowing this, Russell spends his time working double shifts to pay off his brothers debts.
One evening Russell was waiting at their local bar to meet Rodney for a drink. Rodney was a no show, but Russell had a few drinks while he waited. Eventually Russell heads home to see Lena, but in a cruel twist of fate he crashes into a car that is backing up onto the road (Russell wasn't driving crazy or swerving, he just looked down for a second to turn the radio dial. Could've been anyone of us).
When we next see Russell, Rodney is visiting him in prison. Will Rodney be able to stay out of trouble while Russell is locked up?
This movie is far from original,, but the SUPERB cast makes up for that lack in a big way. Bale, Affleck, Dafoe, Harrelson, Saldana, Whitaker, Shepard,,, need I say more? Their performances make this movie so much more than an average repeat of the same ole same ole. It's a barely 7 rating, imo,, but if you want to see great actors acting,, this is one you could certainly check out.