You should definitely see "The Place Beyond the Pines." I was not impressed with Derek Cianfrance's "Blue Valentine" so I was debating if I wanted to spend 2 hours and 20 minutes watching something I won't like, but … I didn't even feel the time passing. Besides being more mature work, Cianfrance pulls off a gutsy move. This script could never have been produced in Hollywood, its too risky. (contains spoilers).
Killing off your main character in the first third of the film has not been done since Hitchcock's "Psycho." Just for that fact alone you need to see it. The rest of the film tells two more stories and includes an additional surprise. The stories are not intercut like every other movie made today. The acting is outstanding from most of the actors and there are shots that you will never forget - Ray Liotta looking down at Bradley Copper over the car window, Cooper's blank stare when he lies about the shooting, and Eva Mendes crying in the corner of the frame while Ryan talks about them.
And of course, Ryan Gosling - this is a man that knows how to act. His minimalistic style of acting says so much with so little that all you need to do is look at him (or hear him) and you know exactly what is going on in his head/heart. The calm demeanor with which he asks for his son after he hits Mahershala Ali is chilling. The way he changes his voice pitch sounding like a plea-cry-begging during the robing scenes is pure genius because it reveals the true nature of his character.
The only aspect of the film that I didn't like and was not believable was the make-up. The 15-year passage of time was poorly executed through the make-up and hair department. I didn't believe Bradley Cooper aging at all, nor his wife, nor Kofi or Romina. But on the other hand as an independent film, I'm assuming that the producer didn't have money left to spend and it's just amazing that they made the film for 15 million dollars with the cast that they did.
4 /5
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Staring: Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper, Ray Liotta
Killing off your main character in the first third of the film has not been done since Hitchcock's "Psycho." Just for that fact alone you need to see it. The rest of the film tells two more stories and includes an additional surprise. The stories are not intercut like every other movie made today. The acting is outstanding from most of the actors and there are shots that you will never forget - Ray Liotta looking down at Bradley Copper over the car window, Cooper's blank stare when he lies about the shooting, and Eva Mendes crying in the corner of the frame while Ryan talks about them.
And of course, Ryan Gosling - this is a man that knows how to act. His minimalistic style of acting says so much with so little that all you need to do is look at him (or hear him) and you know exactly what is going on in his head/heart. The calm demeanor with which he asks for his son after he hits Mahershala Ali is chilling. The way he changes his voice pitch sounding like a plea-cry-begging during the robing scenes is pure genius because it reveals the true nature of his character.
The only aspect of the film that I didn't like and was not believable was the make-up. The 15-year passage of time was poorly executed through the make-up and hair department. I didn't believe Bradley Cooper aging at all, nor his wife, nor Kofi or Romina. But on the other hand as an independent film, I'm assuming that the producer didn't have money left to spend and it's just amazing that they made the film for 15 million dollars with the cast that they did.
4 /5
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Staring: Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper, Ray Liotta
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