Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Place Beyond the Pines


The Place Beyond the Pines is a story told in three parts. The first focuses on Luke (Ryan Gosling), a stunt rider who returns to a former stomping ground to discover he has fathered a child with Romina (Eva Mendes). He turns to crime in order to prove his worth to her and provide for his young child. These actions bring him into contact with Avery (Bradley Cooper), a young police officer. This leads us to the second act, which focuses on Avery, who is a rookie cop also with a young child and a wife worried for his safety. The third act jumps forward about 15 years and focuses on the sons of the two men as they meet and interact in school, unaware of the connection that their fathers had.

This was an excellent movie and even more proof of Cooper's worth as an actor (Silver Linings was the first), and I always love me some Gosling. The first two acts were very strong and would have made for a perfect movie by themselves. The third was weaker, though I am becoming a fan of Dane DeHaan, who played Luke's teenage son. Overall, it was a very interesting and intriguing way to tell a story.



Mini soundtrack:

The Cryin' Shames - "Please Stay"
Hall & Oates - "Maneater"
Bon Iver - "The Wolves (Acts I and II)"

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