A grim and gritty tale set in dying small-town America. Christian Bale is, as usual, talented to take what could have been just a cliché-ridden story and make it something more. (But, alas, not a lot more.) Yes, it has the themes of globalization, being there for family, the better life just beyond reach, etc., but Woody Harrelson’s turn as a truly menacing and cruel criminal is worth the cost of admission. Plus, there are (relatively minor) roles for Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe, Casey Affleck and Sam Shepard.
