The Place Beyond the Pines 2012
8.1
N
This is best described as a special movie. It's really a piece of art: beautiful, resounding, with a mournfully soft tone to it. The ambition of the story it's telling, the flawless acting, and the overwhelmingly human themes make The Place Beyond the Pines a movie that will undoubtedly subvert, surpass, and surprise all the expectations you have for it. I would recommend not watching any trailers, reading any synopses, or really knowing anything about this movie going into it. I cannot stress this enough: it's a very unique and special movie, with great acting, some good visual moments, but most of all, just a captivating and special story that deserves recognition and praise.
Learn More
The movie starts with Luke (Ryan Gosling) as a stunt driver who learns he has a newborn child. Luke wants to properly provide for him, so he turns to robbing banks. That causes conflict with the mother (Eva Mendes) and a police officer (Bradley Cooper), which ends up spanning two generations. The Place Beyond the Pines is gritty and emotional, and at the heart of it, a good take on father-son relationships and long-term consequences.