The Place Beyond the Pines

A film by Derek Cianfrance in two parts. But first, Cianfrance also made Blue Valentine and this follows the tone of that nearly identically. Key word - angst. Part 1, Ryan Gosling is a stunt motorcycle rider in a traveling show. Opening scene, he encounters an ex-girlfriend and with their conversation unfolding as a slow, anguished interaction of very few words, we see the tone of the film. Gosling finds out he has a son, quits his job to hang around town and eventually makes bad choices that introduce him to Bradley Coopers police officer. Part 2, Cooper utilized the result of this introduction to launch a career and 15 years later, everything wraps around on itself. I found the storyline quite clever, even though it was not entirely engaging. A little bit too self important and too much angst written in to the characters. Clever on its own is not sufficient.
2 stars (out of 5)