Review of The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) by Jon C — 15 Aug 2014

An engaging drama with some powerhouse performances from an extended cast.

The plot is broken into 3 stories over time and tells the story of the sins of the father following its way to the sons in unexpected circumstances.

Ryan Golsing and Eva Mendes in the 1st half are separated and have a son; he believes the best way to reach out is to rob banks and pay for the child support.

That goes awry in a horrifying end.

Bradley Cooper and Rose Byrne in the 2nd half also have a child together but as a happy couple and all the while Cooper discovers corruption in the police force he stands for.

Time passes again and thus we partake in the aftermath of the previous events that took place in Schenectady.

The final half then shifts to the offspring of both families; the sons are all grown-up, become friends but are committing the same misdeeds reflecting their parents.

It's a tragic downfall of the sons in their generation.

Strangely one location always seems to come back each time for these people, a place in the back part of the woods away from the real world where the horrors of the scenarios seem to take affect and drive everyone down a different direction.

The final act may seem like a derailing but the rest of the film is swept away by the outstanding actors and their grueling, gritty portrayal of rural America.

Actions affect those in the past and in the future but is it doomed from the start?