The Place Beyond The Pines

Last year i felt Drive with Ryan Gosling was one of the best releases of 2012. While so many movies failed on acting, Gosling just filled every single piece with almost perfection. Maybe i am very demanding, but if you want to see a great movie, you need a great actor to make sure you want to stay in your seat. And now, he is finally back with a movie already praised by most critics. With a great cast and a great director onboard, is The Place Beyond The Pines a knockout, or just a flash of what could have been good ?

Luke Glanton ( Ryan Gosling ) is a locally-famous motorcycle stuntman. The audience love him, but he does not get much money for the dangerous stunts he performs. Luke have no real home, he travels from city to city, just to perform. While he stays in Altamont, Luke visits his ex-lover Romina ( Eva Mendes ), he finds out he have a son, she have never told him about named Jason. Since Luke´s life is messed up, he want a fresh start and quit his stuntman job. Hoping to spend time with his son Jason, Romina can´t let him stay at her home, since she has a new partner Kofi ( Mahershala Ali ). Luke still want to be a responsible father, and make sure Jason gets what he needs. While driving around on his motorcycle, he meets Robin, an auto repair shop owner, who offers Luke a job. He takes it, even if the payment is low. Robin tell Luke that he used to rob banks years ago, and he knows Luke are in need of cash. They begin to plan to rob different banks in town. Everything goes smooth at first, until one day when Luke mess up a robbery. Police chase him to a family house, where Officer Avery Cross ( Bradley Cooper ) shoot Luke. Avery is hurt but survives, while Luke is dead. Officer Avery is let out of hospital and treated as a hero. While Avery is recovering with his family, some of his police friends visits for dinner one day, including Officer Deluca ( Ray Liotta ). Deluca asks Avery´s wife if he can take Avery on a trip to meet some of his fans. Avery´s wife aprove this, and the guys head off. But what Avery thought would be a chance to meet fans, turns out to be something completely different. Deluca want the money Romina´s ex-lover Luke robbed from different banks, as they head to her home. Deluca´s partner find the cash, as they split them in the car. Avery feels bad about this, but take the money. But it does not stop here, Deluca´s friends have more plans including help from Avery, but can he keep on going like this ?

Ryan Gosling is a genius actor, in every possible way. He is our generations latest De Niro, because no one can beat him in creating his own character. But hang on, it does not stop here. Bradley Cooper does one of his best performances so far, and you know what ? Ray Liotta is back....really? He has not been this good since the 90´s, he may not be a very long time on screen, but trust me, he still got it. The stories of these families go through a generation, time may pass, but the past never goes away. And this is why The Place Beyond The Pines makes such a powerful impact, every story has a point to how we react in sorrow and guilt. I can´t remember the last time i sat in a cinema feeling so blessed with acting on a level this high. Director Derek Cianfrance have worked with Ryan Gosling before in Blue Valentine, loved that motion picture, mostly because Gosling. This time he does not just do everything better, he hits a strike so hard, Taylor Lautner gets his balls crushed as we all dance of joy. Everything is almost perfect, actors, storyline, cinema graphic moments you barely see anymore. Ok, it may not be the greatest masterpiece, but i have to do this, because i have a feeling nothing will beat The Place Beyond The Pines this year, unless a miracle happen. This is just what we needed at this time of year, a classic already. Best movie of 2013 is already here, end of story.

Rating: DDDDD