The Place Beyond the Pines [Blu-ray]

My rating is more of a 4.5.Thanks for reading in advance!𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒈𝒏.𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒔𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕.The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 American neo-noir crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance, and written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. The film tells three linear stories: Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider who supports his family through a life of crime, Avery (Bradley Cooper), an ambitious policeman who confronts his corrupt police department, and lastly, two troubled teenagers (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) who explore the aftermath of Luke and Avery fifteen years later.The success of this film undoubtedly rests on the shoulders of its starring actors - and, boy, are they capable of heavy lifting. Despite the variances in screen time, each one - both new and seasoned - delivers devastatingly weighted performances; the scales are tipped in their favor (as is appropriate to the storyline) without easily inserted melodrama or vapidly included contention. For the audience this does one of two things: it makes the pain of its subjects devastatingly palpable (at times my heart was stressfully racing in anticipation for the reveal of what choices would be made) and makes its characters worthy of emotional investment that is beyond compare.Told in a linear fashion, ‘TPBTP’ has a viscosity to it that avoids convolution and makes it extremely easy to follow. It's professionally woven exposition acts as an incubator for conflict - it would be accurate to say that it practically and theoretically writes itself. Regardless, there is a glaring lack of desperation that is worth mentioning as this requires some viewers to make inferences they may otherwise not be prepared for or willing to consider; a lack of much-needed Insight regarding alternative decisions individuals could make within the overarching context of their existence negates the implication that its characters have no other choice or any sense of true autonomy. There is much to be said here in regards to destiny and the influence of legacy - but these messages transfer inadequately on screen and depend solely on how its viewers feel about concepts such as fate and predestination.Some suggest that ‘TPBTP’ has significant pacing related issues - and it would be a lie if I said there is no truth to this sentiment. That said, the payoff of sitting through moments lacking in excitement is worth the cost of being temporarily unamused. Cianfrance avoids the temptation of polarizing his characters into camps of “right” or “wrong” or “good” or “evil” . Alternatively, they are revealed as having more in common with one another than originally expected or assumed. As a result of this its characters are forced to explore the consequences of living a life that is cushioned by privilege or faltered by chance. This complexity - at times overwhelming and yet ambitiously commendable - makes ‘TPBTP’ a loosely bound tribute to generational trauma and the ferocity of reconciliation.On the surface ‘TPBTP’ meanders as a simplistic rendering of the ways in which children can be unexpectedly and exponentially affected by the sins and reputations left behind by paternal figures long after their most immediate period of influence. On the contrary, it is a heart-breaking and gripping account regarding confronting where (or, rather who) you come from without compromising your potential for growth, self-preservation, and capacity for redemption.I would recommend!(Probably my favorite ‘First watch’ of 2021 so far!)

One of my favorite movies. Great story. It's longer though. Awesome cast. I watch it when I can't sleep or when it's rainy and my household is peaceful.

Lots of twist and surprises

I thought this film was going to follow one protagonist, then it became about another protagonist, and then before the film was through, we'd added two entirely additional arcs to concern ourselves with that were unexpected. This isn't a complaint. I found it an innovative and courageous method of engaging the viewer and unraveling a story. Overall, the pacing is on the slower side, or it would be more accurate to say that it winds down as the film goes on - but there are plenty of punctuated instances of high intensity and "shock" (for lack of a better descriptor) that keep it moving along and add stakes to the experience. You will find yourself being routinely surprised, and it succeeds in that regard without question. The conflicts which are setup exceed expectation and defy predictability. I found myself thinking about them well after the movie was over.Overall, the approach to this film was unique and I applaud them for taking the risk. Acting is solid and you believe the characters are experiencing every nuance of their portrayal. Glad I stumbled across this lesser known gem.

A knack for gritty realism like Cassavetes while experimenting with form in a way that is interesting yet not distracting. Also one of the most impactful uses of music for a final shot/ending credits sequence I can think of.

I watched this movie all the way through finally and was not disappointed! It has such a good story line. Don’t want to spoil, but definitely check it out!

Although the director clearly had an ambitious goal for this film and attempted to make a memorable film, I was disappointed at the result.What worked? As many reviewers have noted, Ryan Gosling did a superb job in the first hour of the film in the scenes in which he was present. His character evolution was surprisingly believable, and Ben Mendelsohn's character, Robin, was also well sketched. I like the way Eva Mendes and her live-in partner Kofi interacted. They were also believable. This had the seeds of a very good, memorable film.In my judgment, the Director tried to stuff too much into the film. Part 2, which portrayed the moral dilemma presented to rookie hero cop, Avery, played by Bradley Cooper, as a result of police corruption, was a poor rendering of the same theme much better explored in Prince of the City or, even earlier, Serpico. What the film left unanswered was how other police officers treated Avery when he became an informant about corruption in the police department.Part 3 is introduced solely as "15 Years Later." We do not get enough development of the story or its character to understand why Avery and his wife have separated and why they have raised such an obviously dysfunctional teenager. We could accept where these teenagers were in their lives if the film started there, but it did not seem to have a straight line from the previous two parts.The chance meeting of the sons of the Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper characters and the action taken by Jason, Luke's (the Ryan Gosling character) son late in the film seem contrived.As a filmmaker who struggled to get distribution and financing for the first version of a film, I was told that less is more. Focusing on fewer themes and developing them in more depth actually gives the filmmaker to usher in the ancillary themes with more subtlety and power. The makers of this film would have done better if they had been given this kind of feedback and heeded it. In this case, more ended up being less.

One of my favorite movies!