Very few films that attempt to span multiple generations have been successful. But the small bunch that have succeed are remembered far past their release because of the incredibly expansive story they tell. 2013 adds one more film to those ranks with Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond The Pines.
The director originally said he tried to create something epic like The Godfather. While there’s little chance of anything being as great as Coppola’s masterpiece, at least in the foreseeable future, there’s no question that Cianfrance created something grand in its own right. He takes a story of a few seemingly-average people and the decisions they make, and he crafts that story together so well that it becomes Herculean.
Everyone in the cast is excellent. There may not be Oscar nominations coming for this film, but there should be. Gosling’s stoic manner works very well and you’ll have a long search if you want to find a better character who is hardened and vulnerable, yet keeps believably far into both extremes. While Bradley Cooper has proved in other movies that he can be a dramatic force, he shows it again here, taking on a character who goes on an incredible 20-year journey within one film. Heck, the first time we see him he’s killing the guy who previously was the main character. To see him go from that spot to where he is at the end of the film is a journey worthy of its own three hours, and Cooper is spot-on the entire time.
Still, the one performance that shines above the others here is Dane DeHaan’s. He’s gone from an unknown to a household name in the last couple years, but he’s never been any better than he is in Pines. Rarely would I call a performance heartbreaking, but his really is, and everything about his character will stick with you for a long time after watching the film.
Even if the acting wasn’t so great and the story so epic, the visuals alone are enough to make the film a feast for the eyes. Sean Bobbitt captures everything in a unique and hauntingly beautiful way. It’s a gritty film, and the visuals never contrast that. There are beautiful long takes and everything is framed to perfection. It’s more than just a film, it’s a work of art.
The Place Beyond The Pines is one of the most ambitious efforts I’ve ever seen and fortunately for moviegoers everywhere, Cianfrance is on the mark from start to finish here, creating one of the most epic and memorable movies of the year.