Thursday, August 29, 2013

Movie Review ... The Place Beyond The Pines

 

The Place Beyond The Pines posterA movie succeeds by its depth.  Those with little fade from memory while others linger.  ‘The Place beyond the Pines’ is in no danger of being forgotten.   Exploring familial legacies and how they are dealt with, rich layers create an absorbing piece of work.  Other elements examining moral implications of our choices help maintain gritty realism.  Director Derek Cianfrance crafts an arresting tale with precision in a compelling production.

Luke (Ryan Gosling) works as a carnival daredevil bike racer.  Travelling through New York he contacts old girlfriend Romina (Eva Mendes).  He receives a shock when she reveals giving birth to a son he never knew.  Wanting to provide for his new family, he swaps carnival life for crime using his abilities to stage daring robberies.  On his trail is ambitious policeman Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper).  Meeting sets a chain of events forever impacting their lives.

Spanning a 15 year period, the story-line is continually gripping.  From the first moment, Cianfrance’s direction draws you into a pulsating world of desperate ambitions.  While from different sides of the social ladder, Luke and Avery are similar in having aspiring dreams.  How they achieve them reveals devastating consequences lasting a life-time.  That their family carry their burdens makes for often uncomfortable but always fascinating viewing.

Gosling, Cooper and Mendes effectively expand on their potentially one-dimensional roles providing a sympathetic edge to their fractured characters.  Their excellent performances underscore Avery’s dealings with police corruption and Luke and Romina’s corruptive influences moulding their personalities.  They are supported by a fine cast with a thumping soundtrack by Faith No More singer Mike Patton highlighting the looming threat of past actions.

Although occasionally walking a predictable trajectory, ‘The Place beyond the Pines’ reveals some genuine surprises.  Life often brings up such unexpected aspects with coincidence and chance bringing discoveries in this thought-provoking movie.

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Movie Review Rating out of 10:  9

Movie Review by Patrick Moore

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1 comment:

  1. The cast is great, but the story really lets them down, especially by the last act. Good review Graham.

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