The Film
Two of the sexiest men alive on one screen? While the idea of Bradley Cooper and Ryan Gosling together sounds like a great excuse for a girls' night out, the two share very little screen time in The Place Beyond the Pines.
That's just fine, though. After all, this isn't some rom-com with tons of eye candy that's all tied up in a pretty Hollywood ending. In fact, it's just the opposite. If you're at all familiar with the work of Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine), you should know that the writer/director has a real knack for delivering gritty and heartbreaking stories. The end result here is outstanding.
Gosling plays Luke Glanton, a heavily tattooed, locally famous motorcyle stuntman who seems perfectly happy working local fairs. Well, he's happy until he gets a visit from Romina (Eva Mendes), his ex-lover and apparently, baby mama. This newfound development drives Luke to quit his job and seek out a better life for his new family -- against Romina's wishes, of course. That's because Romina has already moved on, which includes a stable relationship with Kofi (Mahershala Ali).
Since Luke can't give Romina everything she wants, he turns to a life on crime. Of course, being a budding bank robber, you're bound to have a few setbacks. When that happens, the entire film shifts focus to Officer Avery Cross (Cooper) and his own trials and tribulations.
It's hard to go into too much of what happens without giving away the entire film. Believe me, you don't want that, because The Place Behind the Pines is something you'll want to experience on your own. What Cianfrance delivers is like three movies in one, which may be why it runs a whopping 141 minutes. Yes, it's long -- but it's also really good. In fact, it's so good that the length won't be an issue. Huge bonus points for putting Ray Liotta in there as (what else?) a corrupt cop. This one is a real must-see.
The Picture
The Place Beyond the Pines starts off decent enough, but then quickly busts out a surprisingly wonderful 2.40:1 image. The colors are saturated and bold throughout. All of the varying skintones have a little sunkissed look and the outdoor scenery is especially lush. Detail is also quite impressive, from the worry lines on Bradley Cooper's face to the detailed artwork on Ryan Gosling's back. I wasn't sure what to expect from this image, but it's a nice one.
The Sound
I can't use the word "surprising" enough when it comes to this release. Everything about The Place Beyond the Pines is surprising -- in a good way. That includes this release's wonderful DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It kicks off with carnival sounds that are loud and filled with directionality. From there, a crop of motorcyles go whipping around the soundfield and later on, party music is bumping. Of course, the movie is really focused on the dialogue, which is always centered and clear. Also worth noting is Mike Patton's score. The singer of alt/grunge bands Faith No More and Mr. Bungle is a really interesting choice and he absolutely delivers a beautiful track here.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
Writer/director Derek Cianfrance's last film, Blue Valentine, was all about a romance gone horribly wrong. He certainly has a knack for pulling pain out of his characters, as evidenced by The Place Beyond the Pines. At 141 minutes, it may be a hard movie to sit down and start. However, it's well worth the time, thanks to wonderful performances, a gripping story (several actually), and a surprising (see, I squeezed it in one more time) AV presentation.
Product Details
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