Hammerman Ikon

Hammerman Ikon Film Guide

The Place Beyond the Pines
2012
****½
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Ray Liotta, Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin

Derek Cianfrance's follow-up to the raw simplicity of Blue Valentine couldn't be more different. This is an epic crime and family drama in which the sins of the fathers come back to haunt the new generation, and vice versa. It's set in the city of Schenectady (Mohawk word for a place beyond the pine planes). Luke Glanton, a traveling stunt-bike rider, learns that he has fathered a child, and decides to stick around and support his "family". He uses his biking skills to rob banks, and his path inevitably crosses with that of Avery Cross, a young police officer with political aspirations. It all starts as a simple story of a man who tries to make amends, but during the 140 minutes, the characters drop out and return, and the narrative twists and turns, and comes around again. The film is long and perhaps a bit episodic, but Cianfrance keeps it all in control with incredible confidence, and the unpredictable nature of the script keeps things fresh and gripping throughout. There are some first rate performances (Gosling and Cooper, to mention a few) and wonderfully shot and directed scenes.