Review of The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) by Brett H — 29 Aug 2016

The Place Beyond The Pines is the third riveting film from writer/director Derek Cianfrance, which tells a 3-part tale centering on themes of fate, family and the consequences of the characters' actions.

The film stars Ryan Gosling as a daredevil, motorcycle performer who must turn to robbing banks as a way to provide for his family; which has him crossing paths with an up-and-coming police officer played by Bradley Cooper who's trying to stay innocent working for a corrupt organization.

The performances across the board are all excellent with solid supporting work from Rose Byrne, Dane DeHaan, Ben Mendelsohn, Ray Liotta, and Eva Mendes, but this is Gosling's movie and he owns every moment he's on-screen! The cinematography is simply masterful here, feeling much like a character itself with stunning motorcycle chase sequences and exhilarating bank robbery scenes that feel wholly authentic having been shot all in one take.

The film opens with an extended long take of Gosling going from his trailer, through the fairgrounds he's performing at, onto a motorcycle, and then into a "Globe of Death" stunt contraption which kicks the film off properly and impressively.

Where the film falters is in it's final third, and after a truly brilliant crime saga involving two flawed characters permeating through the first 2/3, the last part sticks out like a sore thumb and is an obvious dip in quality.

This portion follows two high school kids with secret connections to the events of the past, but it's all far too coincidental to buy and leaves the resolution feeling a bit weak. This is a daring, enthralling, and memorable piece of work that shows great skill from Cianfrance and features one hell of a memorable performance from Gosling and is well worth your time!