The Place Beyond the Pines

This was a hard movie to see; the only place showing it was a small fancy theater in downtown Dallas. I'm not even sure if it will get a major release at this point. As much of a pain it was to see the movie, it was worth every bit of trouble. The Place Beyond the Pines is a new crime thriller from the director of Blue Valentine. The movie stars several people, most notably Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. Gosling plays Luke, a stunt rider in a traveling circus. After meeting up with an old girl friend, he soon discovers he had a child he was never told about. Luke is a dead beat, doesn't have a real job, and doesn't know how to be a dad; not exactly the ideal role model. After doing some soul searching he meets up with a mechanic who gives him the idea to rob banks to help provide for his son. After a few jobs people start to take notice. At that point Cooper's character comes into play. He's a way over qualified cop that gets involved in Luke's case. After sustaining an injury on the job and being out for a while, he gets mixed up with some dirty cops and doesn't know what to do. Gosling and Cooper are at a crossroads in their lives, and the choice they make won't just impact them but all of those around them. This movie is special, there's a beauty about it that we don't see enough of in cinema. Unlike most movies, the star isn't the actors or the dialog but the movie its self is the star. Just the way it was shot, from the cameras to the cinematography, was fantastic. My favorite shot in the movie was one that was shown in the trailer. It's a shot of such beauty and simplicity it's perfect. It's just Goslings character riding down an empty road in the forest on his dirt bike with this piano melody playing with the camera above and behind him. No fancy tricks, no smoke and mirrors, just film. Every actor gives a good performance, Gosling and Cooper put on some of the best acting of their careers. Eva Mendes also plays a major role in the film and she's never been better. While I could go on praising the movie it did have a few flaws. The movie had some pacing problems, one scene will be fast and intense but the next one won't be as engaging. The biggest problem I had was with the third act, it was a lot slower than the rest of the film. It wasn't bad; it had its moments, but wasn't quite as good. Those problems aside this movie really is incredible and certainly the best film released this year. I was conflicted on what score to give this movie, it wasn't perfect but there really is something spectacular about it. I really hope this movie gets a major release, and if it does please go see The Place beyond the Pines. 

5/5 Stars