This star-studded indie film probably flew under the radar for you like it did mine. It released to limited theaters just under a year ago and stars Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper, along with Eva Mendes and Ray Liotta. After hearing about how great it was from a couple friends I took the time to find it on demand and see it for myself.
The Place Beyond the Pines begins slowly with Luke (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider for a traveling carnival. When he meets back up with an old fling, Romina (Mendes), he discovers he has a son and decides to stay in town to help provide for his baby. Being a man with limited means, he quickly turns to crime, teaming up with a friend to rob banks. His new found situation makes him feel like a deadbeat. He wants to be able to give his child and Romina a better life, and he begins to spin out of control trying to make this happen.
Luke gets careless and tries to pull a heist on his own and finds himself in a high-speed chase, being pursued by rookie police officer Avery (Bradley Cooper). It’s this fated interaction that sets the movie onto a new course and shifts the focus to Avery, an ambitious, young officer who’s trying to rise through the ranks while dealing with a corrupt police department.
The story unfolds over the next fifteen years and the sons of the two men find themselves meeting. Their interactions send Jayson (Luke’s son) on a journey of self-discovery as he attempts to find out all he can about his father.
Bottom line, next time you sit down for a movie night you should search around for this one. It’s a very interesting story told in a creative way that I’ve never seen before. It’s a long movie to sit through but makes for a fun ride.
