‘Pines’ — One of this Year’s Best Dramas

Every so often, a film comes along that shakes you and makes you ponder the themes and message of the movie for hours after it’s over. Right now, that move is ‘The Place Beyond the Pines.’ It is an absolutely beautiful film. To sum up the meaning of ‘Pines’ in a sentence or two would be an injustice.  Ultimately, it is a story about the relationship between fathers and sons. However, it is so much more than that. ‘Pines’ is told in three parts, focusing on a specific character in each section and spanning 17 years.

In part one, we meet Luke, played by Ryan Gosling. Luke is a stunt rider for a traveling circus. He is dirty, gruff and we are to assume, uneducated. While in Schenectady, he learns he has a son. He quits his circus job, takes a low paying gig as a mechanic, in hopes that he and Romina (played by Eva Mendes) can become a family. But Romina has already met someone else and, although Luke means well, he causes more problems than solves them. In an effort to provide for his baby and perhaps win back Romina, he turns to petty crime.

In part two, Avery Cross enters. Avery, played by Bradley Cooper, is a middle class cop from a well-respected Schenectady family. He is married and also has a baby boy. Due to their professions—Avery, a cop, Luke, a petty thief—their paths unfortunately cross.

Part three, the finale, follows the lives of Luke’s son, Jason and Avery’s son, A.J. The two boys go to school together but come from very different backgrounds and live very different lives. Initially, the two have no knowledge of their father’s interactions many years prior but when the truth is revealed, a volcano of pain and confusion erupts and the teens must figure out how to deal with these unfamiliar and scary feelings.

‘Pines’ seamlessly tackles the incredibly difficult task of telling a story over many years. The storytelling aspect of the film is flawless and flows smoothly from one part to the next. It is a striking depiction of how, in a small town, people’s lives interweave and how our pasts can not only haunt us but the next generation as well.

Each actor in ‘Pines’ is fabulous but props must go to Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper. They give stunning, realistic performances. They are raw and authentic and watching their stories unfold is a cinematic pleasure.

‘Pines’ is a brilliant piece of work that will make you sit on the edge of your seat in suspense, will make you laugh and will make you cry.