Sunday, August 25, 2013

Movie Review - The Place Beyond The Pines

A story of consequences, The Place Beyond the Pines revolves around the decisions made by a motor-cycle stuntman after he discovers that he is a father, and the ramifications his actions have on the life of a policeman whom he comes up against.
The movie is unusual in that it is in three parts, each almost a mini movie in itself. At two and a half hours in total it dragged a little towards the end, but overall was well worth watching for the performances from Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper.
Gosling turns in a phenomenal performance as Luke, the stuntman, exuding a mixture of menace, charm and an unexpected vulnerability which creates sympathy for the character even as he makes his cringe-inducing choices.
Cooper captures the inner turmoil of Avery, a cop who finds himself feted as a hero, a role he is eager to accept to further his ambitions, but who is plagued by doubts about the veracity of his actions. 

If you like indie movies with an emotional center, and action that serves the plot rather than is the plot, I would highly recommend The Place Beyond The Pines. 

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