The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)

Content by Tony Macklin. Originally published on March 30, 2013 @ tonymacklin.net.

The Place Beyond the Pines is ten pounds of film stuffed into a five-pound movie.

It's an action film. No, it's a police corruption film. No, it's a political film. No, it's a broken-family film. No, it's a teen druggie film.

The Place Beyond the Pines is all over the place. It's all of the above, plus more. Since it's ten films crammed into one, it's a film of starts and jumps, not resolutions. It sorely lacks dramatic build-up.

The Place Beyond the Pines begins at a carnival, and Derek Cianforce is a carny director. "Over here we have the sword-swallower, and there is the bearded lady." Watch credibility disappear.

And ladies, be warned. If you're hoping to see Bradley Cooper (Avery) without his shirt, it doesn't happen. Instead we get to see flabby Emory Cohen -- who plays Avery's son -- shirtless more than once. Career advice -- Emory, keep your shirt on.

The best thing in the film is Ryan Gosling, whose smouldering ambiguity transcends the mediocre dialogue credited to Cianfrance and two other wannabes.

When Gosling is on screen at least the film is riveting. It's still a mess, but it's a riveting mess.

The Place Beyond the Pines is the story of a stunt motorcycle driver (Gosling) and his encounter with a cop (Cooper) and its vast repercussions.

The driver Luke finds out he has a son from a brief fling with Romina (Eva Mendes) on a previous carnival visit.

She's now living with Kofi (Mahershala Ali), her son, and her mother in a compatible relationship. Luke invades it.

Then fate keeps raising its gimmicky head.

The cast is able, although Cianfrance loves to photograph it from behind. When he's not riding his motorcycle in a blur, Luke is walking away. And walking away some more. And some more.

Bradley Cooper's character is not from Silver Linings Playbook -- it's No Linings Playbook. From a gum-chewing street cop, in the flash of a badge, Avery becomes a slick, educated politico. There's range to his character but no bridge.

Rose Byrne (tv's Damages), as Avery's wife, is pretty much limited to one expression -- she frowns a lot.

More successful are Eva Mendes -- who exudes humanity -- and Dane DeHann as Luke's son. DeHann was excellent in tv's In Treatment. He has an appealing cinematic anxiety and presence.

But the acting is subordinate to Cianfrance's look-at-me direction.

The Place Beyond the Pines is simply another Place Beyond the Popcorn Stand.

Too many layers of runny butter.

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