Rating of
2.5/4
"The Place Beyond The Pines" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 06/02/15
A stunt motorcyclist takes to bank robbery to provide for a newborn son he never knew he had with far reaching consequences both for his family and the cop who catches him. Very much a game of two halves, The Place Beyond The Pines consists of two distinct stories; the first stars Ryan Gosling as the would-be bank robber and it is this section which is by far the most interesting. Its combination of domestic drama, crime and character study of a doomed new father who makes all the wrong choices works well and it's a shame that the second part of the film which focuses on Bradley Cooper's ambitious rookie cop and their sons loses its direction. The result is a little like an implausible teen soap opera which fails to convince on any dramatic level and I found my interest in the story waned with Gosling's disappearance. It's certainly worth a watch for the first hour though and it's a shame the narrative momentum falters for the unsatisfying climax.
