The Palace Beyond The Pines - Review

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

2011

15

Starring Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes

Directed by Derek Cianfrance 

The Place Beyond The Pines is a story about the lives of two men that intertwine surrounding one moment of panic. Ryan Gosling plays motorcycle stunt rider Luke who decides to use his special skills to rob banks in order to support  his newly found family. The middle of the movie surrounds Bradley Cooper who plays a police hero who encounters corruption within the force and deals with his own family life. Eventually 15 years progress and the children of these two men (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) collide with one and other in an explosive fashion.  

This film was so nearly perfect and it started off perfect. Towards the end of the second act the movie fell away from perfection when it became slightly padded out and perhaps lost sight of the freshness that defined the opening hour. It's not that the film went bad by any means but it fell away from how good it had started. What's nice about the directorial skill is the fact that Cianfrance is unhurried in his approach and takes a long time to let the story unfold naturally and organically. There are a great many lovely moments that allow the characters to express elements of themselves through seemingly mundane and commonplace conversations. The sobering realism that starts off the film however becomes marginally lost towards the end of the second act when the story begins to relying too heavily on coincidence and potentially implausible twists of fate.

The action sequences of motorcycle getaways are thrilling and found myself literally on the edge of my seat. You get the impression from the beginning that these are real people, not superheroes, they are dispensable and fragile; so it was never clear who would survive to see the final credits. There are some truly skilful directorial aspects, the film opens with an incredible long take tracking shot of Ryan Gosling's back as he walks through the circus into the tent where he performs his stunts, as far as film openers go, it is the most memorable I have seen for a long time. The acting was sound and all participants were able to bring unexpected depth to the movie because even though a lot of our main characters were flawed you still found yourself caring and rooting for them as they were personable. 

Dane DeHaan is awesome as the son of Ryan Gosling. He's kind of similar to his Chronicle character Andrew Detmer but he's different in that Jason is nonchalant and not meek. Amateur Reviews have been following his films from the beginning and his performance in The Place Beyond The Pines confirms that his career will be nothing short of illustrious. 

Darker and more realistic there was no rose tinted perspective on things. The Place Beyond The Pines is a character study first and foremost - and then a thriller. It's study of our lives and how they can interlink and how one moment can affect the entire lives of many. Cianfrance did not disappoint.

Rating: 8

Half Nelson - Review

HALF NELSON

2006

15

Directed by Ryan Fleck

Starring Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps and Anthony Mackie


Dan Dunne (Gosling) works in a disadvantaged school where he is an engaging and unconventional History teacher. Out of school hours, a troubled social life is fuelling a drug habit which is becoming more debilitating. One night Dan's professional life becomes intertwined with his sordid affairs when a student Drey (Shareeka Epps) stumbles upon his secret. What initially seems like an unlikely relationship is perhaps not so, as they both understand what the other should stay away from.

If you ever find yourself doubting Gosling's acting ability, you need only watch this movie to affirm the fact he's a massively competent actor. He understands that real people are not one-note so his character toys with charm, vulnerability and force in a way which is far more believable than the majority of protagonists out there. Gosling, Mackie and Epps are not removed from reality and this makes the emotional backbone of the film that bit more potent.

Half Nelson is unapologetic in its ambiguity and revels in the fact the movie goes largely unresolved. But instead of being unsatisfying, it's quite the opposite. The movie carries a quiet level of elegance, subtlety and unpredictability which alludes to a real life balance between optimism and pessimism. On the contrary, the film would have felt insincere and hollow if all the ends had in fact been dealt with in a fairytale Hollywood manner.

Dunne's addiction seeps into every aspect of his life as the film progresses. The fuzzy cinematography, out of focus close-ups and shaky camera shots echo Dunne's own perspective in an inventive way. Narrative slight of hand is almost non existent in Half Nelson, this delicate approach is unorthodox because as a viewer it is unclear how you should emotionally respond and this, some could say, made it feel long winded.

This film is not original, but it stands out from other American dramas of this genre for being completely unhurried and sobering in its script, direction and acting. This may not be a film you rewatch over and over again, but it will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Rating: 7