Rating of
3.5/4
Review: The Place Beyond the Pines
MikePA - wrote on 05/09/13
The Place Beyond the Pines stars Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, two gifted and dynamic actors who have been doing nothing lately but impressing me by their performances. If you thought Bradley Cooper was great in Silver Linings Playbook, wait until you see him here as a hopeful cop slowly being eaten away by guilt. It takes strength and guts to pull off this role, and Cooper nails it. Same goes to Gosling, whose performance in Drive crowned him as one of my favorite actors.
Director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) makes a rousing, potent drama about the importance of family and decisions, and the fate defying consequences both may have if treated unfairly. It's an epic, gorgeous film - well acted all around, beautifully crafted, well written, unpredictable, and absolutely exhilarating. It's moving and ambitious and thoughtful, without a hint of sappiness or melodrama.
The film tells three interconnecting stories. Three acts. Act one is about a motorcyclist, Luke (Ryan Gosling), who discovers he is the father of a one-year-old boy, whose mother is Romina (Eva Mendes). Luke is a well-intentioned father, who just wants to provide for his former girlfriend and his son. For money, he robs a few banks and is able to escape through his motorcycle riding skills. But one decision and event leads us to act two, which tells the story of Avery (Bradley Cooper), an ambitious cop hoping to rise to the top. This story basically follows him as he is slowly being eaten alive by his own lies. Act three shows Luke's son, Jason (Dane DeHaan), and Avery's son, AJ (Emory Cohen), face the consequences of the previous events as the story unfolded. It's a difficult movie to describe without spoiling.
Acts one and two are amazingly compelling. Its virtually got everything you want in a movie - action, drama, suspense, and emotion. It's strong in its narrative and realization of its characters. It's so beautifully done, so vibrant and suspenseful. Emotionally, thematically, and dramatically rich. Act one is just fantastic story telling alongside great character building, with a riveting performance by Ryan Gosling. Act two is exactly the same, just with more tension as Cooper's character is being bugged to death by the psychological impact of his recent past.
Act three left me questioned. It's not as effective as the first two acts, but it's where all of the story's buildup really comes together in an emotional finale. I can't say I was underwhelmed, nor did I dislike this part of the film - I was just left a bit disappointed due to the high standards set by the film's beginning and middle. It's still a satisfying and meaningful ending to an otherwise really, really, really good film that's my favorite of the year so far.
3.5/4
