Review - The Place Beyond The Pines

On DVD and BLU RAY - "The Place Beyond The Pines" - Although he gives an excellent performance here, Ryan Gosling (Drive) fans may find themselves disappointed with the scope of his involvement. Let's just say that this is not a "Gosling flick" and is much more ambitious than a straightforward story of cops and robbers- I wouldn't want to give too much away, but I will mention that the film is more of a sweeping tale that spans a 15 year period of time.  Directed by and co-scripted by Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), this film is more about fathers and sons and the repercussions of the choices one makes in life-defining moments. It's an excellently crafted Drama with a few dashes of Thriller thrown in that never loses that distinct indie feel. Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) puts in great work as well, but most will probably remember Dane DeHaan (Chronicle, Lawless) portraying the troubled son of one of the film's two leads. 

Ryan Gosling headlines as "Luke Glanton", a motorcycle stunt rider with a troubled past that turns to robbing banks to support his newborn son, while Bradley Cooper's "Avery Cross" is the well-intentioned rookie cop whose career is ultimately defined by their eventual confrontation.  Gosling and Cooper are first rate- it would have been a real treat to have had a cat-and-mouse type of narrative with these two talented, 30-something leads gunning for one another for the entire film's run-time, but Cianfrance has loftier goals...

Eva Mendes (Hitch) is Luke's on-again, off again love interest, "Romina", while Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids) portrays AJ's wife, "Jennifer".  Both actresses are fine in support, with Mendes given a bit more room to flex.  I must admit to having a silver screen crush on Mendes that knows no end...I just wanted to throw that out there for no apparent reason... 

26-year-old Dane DeHaan somehow pulls it off as the 16-year-old son of Luke and Romina- his troubled introvert, "Jason", is the strongest character in the film, with DeHaan cementing himself as a young talent to watch.  His is a teenaged character with that indefinable "it" that keeps gnawing at his soul, a restlessness in his blood that he can never quite understand.  Emory Cohen plays Avery and Jennifer's son, "AJ"- a meat-headed sort with a drug problem who takes a shine to Jason after a chance encounter in their High School cafeteria. Cohen's performance here as a spoiled thug with a lazy delivery is effectively annoying- most will find themselves wanting to knock the shit out of him. Unaware of their Fathers' past encounter, the relationship between the two "teens" is admittedly interesting and effectively conveyed as a tense countdown to disaster. 

Ben Mendelsohn (Killing Them Softly) has a memorable role as the mechanic infatuated with Luke's bike riding skills who eventually wrangles him into the business of bank robbery, while Ray Liotta (Goodfellas) puts in solid work as a corrupt fellow police officer.  Why has Liotta been relegated to a character actor?  Bruce Greenwood (Below) has a couple of scenes as an Internal Affairs officer while veteran actor Harris Yulin (Training Day) portrays Avery's Judge Father.  Mahershala Ali (Predators) rounds out the notable cast in playing Romina's husband and Jason's adoptive Father, "Kofi"- it's a character that I found myself wishing had been more fleshed out.

Although there are a couple of realistically staged police cruiser/bike chase scenes and a few shots fired throughout, potential viewers should understand that this is a 140 minute long Drama and not an action film- it abides by a traditional three act structure with each act ushering in distinct but related stories.  Events which transpire at around the one-third mark of this film may come across as a kind of sucker punch to some viewers, though a discerning audience that stays the course will undoubtedly recognize a well-crafted and poignant narrative concerning fateful encounters that strolls into epic territory.  Overall, The Place Beyond The Pines is a little cold to the touch and a tad overlong, but still very absorbing due to a solid script, an impressive cast and Derek Cianfrance's able direction.  It's not the story I expected (or was wanting, for that matter), but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

Recommended.

8.0 out of 10