Review of The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) by Lewis E — 24 Jan 2015

(Possible spoilers. Don't read if you'll definitely want to watch this).

'The Place Beyond the Pines' is pretty much split up into three chapters, all of which serves a purpose but each one less dramatic and engaging than the last. Potential was there when we first see Ryan Gosling as the bike-ridding bank robber desperate to prove his worth by supporting his child. Gosling acts out the best role of this film while his robbery and chase sequences are executed really well. An alteration in direction then shifts focus unto Bradley Cooper's cop. Despite offering an interesting change of perspective and good scenes involving his fellow police friends, the movie seems to unfavourably stray from the original path. It then subsequently becomes more or less derailed in the third act when it follows the rebellious teenage stage of Gosling and Cooper's respective sons. This final part is useful in commenting on the idea of fate and fatherhood but it still fails to fully convince as a necessary part of the story and mainly contributes to dragging on something which hit its heights quite a while back. It is well acted in most places and exhibits ambitious storytelling but it probably does not qualify for an eager recommendation. Verdict = Average.