Review of The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) by Byron B — 04 Nov 2018

With effective intense performance..

The Place Beyond The Pines.

Cianfrance's eerie character driven formula is something that actually doesn't circle around the characters but completely follows storyline. And within that primary track, it takes its time and tells multiple other tales through it, all in all blending in the almost perfect crime drama one could hope for. It is brilliantly executed and went into production with sheer passion and enthusiasm that never wears off, you can practically see the hard work that went by on each day of the shooting. And as much as dedication is involved in this feature, the concept that it focuses on is quite familiar.

If the primary characters are three dimensional and perfectly cooked, the side characters on the other hand are left out as mere pawns that follows up certain allotted characteristics. It's stereotypical narration isn't its weakness since it is a safe play by the writers. Such gripping script is usually thoroughly entertaining and competent for the viewers. And in here, even though the slow pill in the script is not for everyone, it keeps you busy in its drama more than the crimes and bullets and stunts does. Gosling opens up this world for the viewers with effective intense performance whose impact never wears out.

Carrying on the passed torch, Cooper soars through this entire feature as an underdog that may be vulnerable at times but not weak. Mendes, Ali, Byrne and Liotta are decently supporting the cast if not anything exceptionally brilliant. Cianfrance's excellence is making this escapist movie about a confronting one, and on that note of evolution, it is a triumph. The Place Beyond The Pines is actually quite near to you, you have to look for it and in this battlefield Cianfrance helps you observe it by imputing a twist of family drama into it.