If you haven't yet seen this movie, then I suggest not reading further. I stay away from spoiling key plot points in this post, merely foreshadowing events enigmatically, but I enjoyed seeing the movie with only having read the one-sentence summary at the top of its IMDb page. Once you have seen it, please take a minute to comment below with your thoughts.
This afternoon I saw The Place Beyond the Pines, which stars Ryan Gosling as Luke and Bradley Cooper as Avery. It begins as the story of Luke, a motorcyclist who decides to quit the circus to rob banks in order to provide for his ex-lover (Romina, played by Eva Mendes) and son (Jason) upon hearing the news that he is the boy's father. Eventually, he gets carried away with robbery and runs into the path of Avery, an ambitious cop. The movie skips fifteen years to see how Luke's and Avery's decisions affect the lives of their sons, Jason and AJ, respectively. The way this story circulates is completely baffling and perfectly executed by director and co-writer, Derek Cianfrance (director of Blue Valentine). Cianfrance keeps the emotions of life going the entire two hours and twenty minutes, with a beautiful, mostly-melancholy score to accompany the sorrow mood the cinematographer created magnificently from the get-go. Surprises are around every bend and keep you on your toes.
In addition to the spot-on storytelling, the acting was phenomenal. Ryan Gosling gives one of the best performances of the year so far as a distraught, new father trying to be a part of his son's life, even as Romina lives with a new guy destined to be Jason's father figure. I found Cooper's performance to be realer than that of Silver Linings Playbook, which may mean a lot to fans of that role. Dane DeHaan, who plays Jason's teenage self, is fantastic as a "loner stoner" destined to follow in his father's footsteps. AJ, Avery's son, is played by Emory Cohen. Emory Cohen. I would remember that name if I were you. This twenty-three-year-old native of the great NYC will be a star if Hollywood lets him in. He gave the standout performance of this movie, playing a fun-loving jerk. He would be perfect for Boardwalk Empire (pretty please, Mr. Winter!). Anyway, the rest of the ensemble is solid as well. Ben Mendelsohn is sincere as Robin, Luke's roommate, and Mahershala Ali plays Kofi, Romina's current lover, well.
Derek Cianfrance has a bright future ahead of him, and I am excited to see him continue to deliver. However, I do realize that this film does not tickle everyone's fancy (the people I went with saw it as too depressing; they even referred to it as two hours and twenty minutes that they will never get back), which is why I encourage you to comment your arguments and agreements.
I like your enthusiasm for the film and while there is alot to admire, for me it ultimately fails due to weaknesses at the screenplay level. The initial story is much more compelling than the subsequent two and the details in the Cooper segment seems both overwritten and underwritten at the same time. To me Cianfrance made a better film his last time out - Blue Valentine seemed largely improvised in big sections and it worked as an actors showcase. Here he's bound to the written word much more and it never builds to a believable dramatic peak. It's almost saved by the acting, most of which is very good (I don't think Cooper is more than just ok but everyone else is very strong, even in the smaller roles, especially Gosling).
ReplyDeleteI do agree that he is a director to watch though and the ambition of this is really something to respect. Most films don't attempt nearly as much as this one so it almost feels bad to criticize a film for going for it as much as this one does.
I'd call it a near-miss but I'd definitely watch whatever he chooses to make next.
Thank you for commenting! I cannot disagree with what you have said. The acting definitely covered up some awkwardness in the script. I think the direction also contributed to the success of the more climactic scenes. As I was delving into some of my favorite scenes from the movie in the screenplay, I realized that they really aren't that exciting on the page (for instance, without spoiling it for other readers, when the two boys hang out for the first time & when Cooper hears of who his son was with). Although I said that I enjoyed Cooper's performance more so here than in Silver Linings Playbook, I thought his was the weakest of all the main performances in Pines, especially belittled by his fellow cast members, all of whom shine in their respective roles. You said that there is a lot to admire, so I am curious: besides the acting, what did you like about the film?
DeleteI liked the idea of the film first and foremost - the attempt to tell this cross-generational story. It definitely has big ideas and big themes on its mind.
DeleteI also liked some of the subtext in the way its conceived. For example, the very opening of the film with the motorcycles criss-crossing in that enclosed space is like a metaphor for the storylines and the intersecting lives.
Little things like that impressed me because it shows thought was placed in alot of how this was designed. Similarly, the contrast between the way the Gosling character doesn't know his father and how that affects him and how the Cooper character leans on his father and how that affects him and his life (which connects with the ending in a way too in what those kids lives "may" (ironically) turn out like).
Besides those little touches the film is strong on a technical level - as you said the score is evocative and appropriate. The pacing and editing are very well done and I also liked some of the scenes that seem improvised here (though again this doesn't seem as improvised as Blue Valentine) - like the scene with the ice cream. That scene and a few others seem not only realistic, but also genuine. Not just in how they are acted but in how they are framed and allowed to play out - it's very lovingly done.
I just didn't think it tied together but alot of the right ingredients were there and its heart is in the right place as well.
You've offered some interesting points I hadn't thought of before. The three motorcycles metaphor was indeed a great way to begin the movie, thank you for pointing that out to me. I still have yet to see it again and look forward to doing so. The ice cream scene was especially touching, and the references back to the Gosling storyline were really impressive. Thank you for commenting! I will be posting more in the near future; right now I am wrapping up editing a short film that will be on YouTube by the end of the week. Hopefully talk to you again soon!
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