Taglines: One moment can change your life.
The daring movie from the director of Blue Valentine, The Place Beyond the Pines is a sweeping emotional drama powerfully exploring the unbreakable bond between fathers and sons.
The Place Beyond the Pines is an American crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance, written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder. It stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, and Ray Liotta, with Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, and Dane DeHaan in supporting roles. The film reunites Cianfrance and Gosling, who worked together on 2010′s Blue Valentine. The film was scored by Mike Patton.
The title is the English meaning of the city of Schenectady, New York, which is derived loosely from a Mohawk word for “place beyond the pine plains.” The film featured previously written music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt.
Luke Glanton is a locally famous motorcycle stuntman working in a traveling act for state fairs. During the fair in Altamont, New York, Luke is visited by his ex-lover, Romina, and learns he is the father of her infant son. Luke quits his job as a stuntman to stay in town and provide for the child, but Romina does not want him in the child’s life, as she has become involved in a relationship with another man named Kofi. Luke turns to Robin, an auto repair shop owner, for part-time employment as he continuously attempts to insert himself into his son’s life.
Making only minimum wage, Luke asks Robin for more money to care for his son. Robin reveals he was once a bank robber, and offers to partner with Luke to hit several banks in the area. The duo perform several successful heists, in which Luke does the robbery, then uses his motorbike as a getaway vehicle and drives it into an unmarked truck driven by Robin. Luke uses the new money to win back Romina’s trust and visits her and his son more often. Kofi objects to his presence and the two get into a fight at Kofi’s house, resulting in Luke’s arrest after he hits Kofi in the head with a pipe wrench.
After Robin has bailed him out of jail, Luke wants to resume their bank robberies. Robin objects, not wanting to press their luck, and the two have a falling-out that results in Robin dismantling the motorbike and Luke taking back at gunpoint the bail money he owed Robin. Luke attempts to rob a bank alone and is pursued by police. He falls off his bike during the chase and seeks refuge in a resident’s home, where he is pursued by Schenectady Police Officer Avery Cross. Luke corners himself upstairs and calls Romina. Just before Avery confronts him, Luke asks Romina not to tell their child about who he was. Avery enters the room and fires the first shot; Luke falls out of the second-story window after shooting Avery in the leg. Avery looks out the window to find Luke dying on the pavement.
Avery gains hero status after his takedown of Luke. Avery feels remorse about shooting Luke, especially as Avery’s fellow officers Scotty and Deluca illegally seize the stolen money from Romina’s home and give him the lion’s share in honor of his newfound hero status. He later attempts to return the money to Romina, but she rejects his offer. Avery eventually tries to turn the money in to the chief of police, who dismisses him, wishing not to get involved. Following the advice of his father, a retired judge, Avery records a fellow officer asking him to remove cocaine from the evidence locker Avery is supervising for use in a separate case. Avery uses the recording to expose the illegal practices in the police department and pressures the district attorney to hire him as assistant district attorney.
Fifteen years later, Avery is running for public office and has to deal with his now-teenage son A.J., who has gotten into trouble with drugs. Avery has separated from his wife Jennifer and agrees to take A.J. into his home. A.J. transfers into the high school in Schenectady. There A.J. befriends a boy named Jason; neither A.J. nor Jason know that Jason is Luke’s son. The two are arrested for felony drug possession, and when Avery is called in to pick up his son, he recognizes Jason’s name. He uses his influence to get Jason’s charge dropped to a misdemeanor and orders A.J. to stay away from Jason, but the boys continue to talk.
The Place Beyond the Pines (2013)
Directed by: Derek Cianfrance
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne, Eva Mendes, Dane DeHaan, Cynthia Pelletier-Sullivan
Screenplay by: Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder
Production Design by: Inbal Weinberg
Cinematography by: Sean Bobbitt
Film Editing by: Jim Helton, Ron Patane
Costume Design by: Erin Benach
Set Decoration by: Jasmine E. Ballou
Music by: Mike Patton
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout, some violence, teen drug and alcohol use, and a sexual reference.
Studio: Focus Features
Release Date: March 29, 2013
Visits: 120
