The Place Beyond the Pines Review

*Promotional Poster for The Place Beyond the Pines*

The Place Beyond the Pines is an interesting character study; the film itself is about how one man's mistakes impact the lives of everyone else's around him. This butterfly effect goes multi-generational and although not preachy in it's message, it's hard not to know where the place need be placed, and in a world full of many grey shades, it's never too obvious who to root for. As far as smaller independent projects go, this one is at the pinnacle of  presentation, taking note of how to best stylize Gosling from other indie productions, and utilize the supporting cast to maximum effect.

WARNING: There may be spoilers ahead!

The movie starts off about Ryan Goslings character,  a man named Luke, who happens to be a motorcycle stuntman touring through New York state. An encounter with a former love interest played by Eva Mendes (currently his real life girlfriend) sets off a series of events in which he attempts to cope with her news of him having a son, as well as how he provides for him in the immediate future.  Luke decides to give up the circus life and instead turns to manual labor for a nearby auto-shop owner. His wadges prove too small to suffice and the two turn to robbing banks in order to provide a sustainable income for his son.  Gosling is known for playing likable characters

and while there is a degree of sympathy for Luke, his characters decisions are too obvious in how wrong they are to not fault him for choosing a life of crime to just to go the distance. His desire to be in his sons life is commendable, but no matter who you are this is something that's hard not to understand. However, as Goslings part in the movie winds down, his actions take a turn for the irredeemable worst as he is eventually killed by Avery, a cop played by Bradly Cooper, who shoots and kills Luke in an unfortunate turn of events. 

This at first can come as quite a shock, as more often then not most main characters do not fade from the film in the first 45 minutes, but Goslings part plays the most integral role, as every other event in the film stems from most of his wicked actions.  Avery opts to be smart and doesn't confess the confusing nature of the event, painting Luke to be just another bad guy who was served justice. Surrounded by crooked friends and attempts to repent for his decision, his character constantly straddles the line between a man just trying to move on, and a hero finding his way. Eventually the film settles into a third act in which any current Hollywood A-listers are all but absent, leaving Luke and Avery's sons to take the helm and play out the end of the film. This is perhaps when the film tries it's hardest to tie in all the events and all the ramifications of the earlier two acts, and fortunately it isn't botched up. The decision however to leave the film in the hands of such newcomers does have it's downside in that their stories are perhaps the least most interesting, and the movie expects you to forgive them based on their age and inherit naivety towards their parents past. Luke's son Jason, deals with his mothers hush-hush attitude towards his father and who he really was, mostly one can assume due to Luke's last request to never tell him about his checkered lifestyle, and his budding friendship with AJ, Avery's sun is never a comfortable mix that always feels like a bully befriending the victim. This cast an aura of discomfort around the final act, in which it is fairly obvious the movie weighs itself in it's morals; hoping to make this unsafe present a more harsh reality through the films tormented past.

It's not a weakness of the film though, and it may be a downer for most viewers, but the message it sends, and it's themes of love, truth, moral decency, and heroes is perhaps it's strongest feature. If for any reason, these themes are brilliant in that they toy with each other, constantly asking you to question if a hero can be a hero today in the traditional sense; if moral decency is displayed through actions more so than words, if truth can be better than lies even if it can hurt the ones you love most, and if that love is stronger through loyalty and silent commitments, or letting the past rest and leave behind everything that once hurt you. These questions burn consistently and The Place Beyond the Pines is nary a shred away from giving a solid answer to any of them, and perhaps better off for it. These are problems that remain best bathed in shades of grey rather than turned black or white due to the need for some closure or straight forward resolve. 

Choosing to tell a story like this in three acts is a huge gamble, if for any reason because it casts out Ryan Gosling in the first 45 minutes, during a time where he is perhaps best noted for making movies like this one successful. Instead the movie relies on the talent of Bradly Cooper, and the consistency of Eva Mendes throughout all three acts, mainly the first two, to help see the rest of the events to fruition. But it doesn't seem like any other narrative would've worked so powerfully, so compellingly, and in such a way that challenges us to really look at the amount of lives the actions of one man truly impacted. As stated early, it is nice that none of this feels particularly preachy, and rather than flat out telling you not to peruse a lifestyle like Luke, it all feels very organic; like Luke was just the sort of person who was never going to accomplish anything any other way, and that circumstances pushed him to a life of crime. It may not be something you want to agree with, but the film makes sure that it delivers it's message of consequences without feeling like an after school special. 

The acting is stellar, the atmosphere is the typical indie feel, and being a native of New York, it's hard to not appreciate the care put into making sure that an area outside of New York City actually gets the beautiful spot light it deserves. Contrary to what most people may or may not know, the bulk of New York's population actually consists outside of New York City, although it is fairly close to 50%. There are some seriously beautiful places in this state, the Adirondacks for one thing, and The Place Beyond the Pines (which is a rough translation from a Mohawk word adopted as the meaning of Schencetaty, New York; also where the film takes place) does a great job of making you feel as if you're in this world of North Eaterners. However, it is a dreary walk, and an even harder ride for those who aren't used to weighty films about life. It could have even been titled 'Consequences' and felt just as appropriate.; but perhaps more original and easier to cement it's spot as a classic with a much less generic title. 

For what it's worth, The Place Beyond the Pines is a hard film not to recommend for anyone to check out. It may not be suitable for anyone looking for big action or comedy, but any serious movie goer would be hard pressed to find a better indie outing this year with so many great start powered performances before the blockbuster season started. Walking away from this movie will grant some greater insight into the complexity of life, the turn it all can take at any moment, and the waves that can crash upon a shore relentlessly. If you're game for the heavy handed subject matter, or even just want to enjoy Gosling doing what he does best, then by all means find this one as fast as you can and enjoy! 

Check out the trailer for The Place Beyond the Pines below!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G07pSbHLXgg

Review Score Card:
Storyline:            Great, involved, deep, weighted, and passionate.
Characters:         Driving, inspired performances, and well thought out.
Pacing:               Done in three acts, this could be a problem for some, but never drags.
Interest Level:    Totally engrossing, captivating at times, requires your full attention
                           to truly enjoy and appreciate.

Overall:               9 out of 10 - A must see for any fan of Indie films, Gosling, or just good
                           movies in general.

Hesher Review

*Promotional Poster for the movie Hesher*

When the news breaks that an indie film starring Joseph Gordon -Levitt and Natalie Portman is announced, and Gordon-Levitt just happens to also be playing an antisocial metalhead, nothing much should keep you from being interested at the least. Then the reality of the film hits you, when it's turn out the story in fact about a family, primarily a less than fortunate kid, whose deceased mother leaves all involved helpless at the notion of life having meaning beyond her passing. This makes it all the more difficult to stomach the message and dark nature of the film, and what exactly it is that anyone is suppose to take from it by the end.

WARNING: This review may contain some spoilers, as they may be essential to giving a good review on this film.

Let's just get this out of the way right now, the soundtrack has some Metallica in it, and anything with Metallica in it is

should be awesome enough right? Nope, Metallica is about the only think aside from Gordon-Levitt's performance in this

film that keeps it from being any more boring and contrived. The story manly revolves around T.J,  a kid whose mother has recently passed on. His life becomes a pit of depression for both him and his father as they cope with having a life without her. Now in all seriousness, given the way the film acts towards both these characters  it doesn't make it seem like they had much outside of her love to hold onto in the film before her departure.  So one can understand why their grieving could be so immense, as can the loss of any loved one be, but this movie makes it seem almost like the characters themselves have died in exchange, and somehow the only person who can help them come back to life is a totally devoid of emotion and care himself squatter and total delinquent Hesher, played by Gordon-Levitt.

In terms of a character, Hesher is perhaps the most enjoyable component of this film if not merely for his juxtaposition  He imposes on T.J and his father, he messes up T.J friendship with Natalie Portman, he burns, he destroys, and he saves the day, all at the expense of not T.J, or his father, but in fact T.J's grandmother Madeleine, for whom is probably the only charatcer he has any real respect for him the film. Madeleine seems the one most inherent of problems in the film, in which she has taken on both the greif of T.J's mother passing, and the grief of both him and his father, played by Reinn Wilson. She also manages to be the only one who takes a liking somewhat to Hesher's squatting at their place. This is made all the more difficult by her apparent ignorance to his nature, and causes any affection thrown towards Hesher's film seem like a decision that could only be made from a negative or compromised place; therefore damaging any of the few redeemable traits he has. It's almost like the film enjoys shooting itself in the foot any chance it gets. It keeps reminding you that Hesher is not suppose to be a good person, yet by the films end you are suppose to believe that without him, everyone involved would be worse off, or not learn to appreciate what they have, when in reality, it just makes what is already clearly very grim, only seem plan grim, and still some pretty horrible cards to be dealt.

Natalie Portman's character shows the beginning of her affection towards characters that are both inherently complicated and weak, making poor decisions in exchange for relevance. Sometimes an indie film is good when it makes a character like Nicole (the one she plays) lost in a more artistic and consequential world, but in this world, she just seems like an afterthought and a persona better left out after any rough draft. Not to mention, anyone who would hook up with a man like Hesher is just asking to be confused and have low self-esteem, which is central to the overall themes of this film: depression, loss of hope, etc. These aren't always things that are translated well on screen, and Hesher manages to be a film that reminds us of what its like to witness something sad that isn't entertaining or at least interesting in all it tries to convey.

There is an ugly truth to just about everything the film tries to do, from letting a young actor take the lead, to making an inherently bad person out to be a savior, it's message is lost through trying to do too much where it needed to cut back, and doing too little with what it did best. Hesher is about the best the movie get's as mentioned before, yet he is perhaps the only character that doesn't see some kind of lesson learned, or life revelation occur. Towards the end when he crashes Madeleine's funeral, his speech is both obscene, shocking, and face palm worthy for it just seeming in such bad taste, that it's saddening that it's the film's most memorable sequence. It was very hard to feel any sympathy for anyone but Madeleine in this film and it's almost worth questioning if the movie was made to be enjoyed or as a wake up call to how some people's trauma can only be saved by the most unexpected of life changing occurrences  It's a very old story dressed up as a very contemporary labor of love that doesn't hit it's mark more than it misses.

Hesher is not a bad movie, it's just not a good movie. It's sad, it's not really that well done, or at least made interestingly enough to keep it's sadness from destroying any desire to watch it again. It suffers from what no movie wants to suffer from, and that's a boring middle ground where everything that happens can only resonate with such a select group of people that it fades into obscurity; and in turn becomes cool because it's 'that' film. Now I like a quality indie film just as much as the next person, but this happens sometimes, not every movie that takes a shot at being ugly, realistic, mundane, and complex can end up being a work of art worth remembering. The acting isn't the problem, neither is the story, it's just the film itself and all the pieces involved as they attempt to merge together.

Check out the trailer for Hesher at the link below!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKRKpvv3SU

Review Score Card:

Stoyline:           Not very interesting; Sympathy feels very forced on audience.

Characters:       Hard to feel sorry for, not as deep as the film would like them to be.

Pacing:             Not bad, but also not really a factor since the movie is too boring at times to

                        judge correctly.

Interest Level:    Should be much better given the films promise, but very dark, ugly, and too 

                        reliant on Joseph Gordon Levitt to stand remembering for any other reason.

Overall:            5 out of 10 - An average, yet boring movie that's hard to recommend to

                        anyone.