I take it back, the second half was unfamiliar to me. I must have bailed on the first attempt.
Which I can certainly believe, given that the first half is all about dog fighting and it's pretty disgusting. The second half has different subject matter, but it's not much easier to watch.
Like 21 Grams and Biutiful and No Country For Old Men (which is Cohen Brothers I know, but Javier Bardem is in it) this is a very well done movie that I probably should but won't ever watch again. Again, perfectly believable and excellent acting but unpleasant stories and locales. Entertainment value = 0.
At least, that's the way I see it here at Sunnybrook.