The Place Beyond the Pines stars both Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper — you spoil us, ambassador! — and is a generational feud film about fathers and sons and legacy. Can anyone be born clean? How do past events reverberate? How might one act of violence play out, years later? It is written and directed by Derek Cianfrance who made Blue Valentine, a remarkably raw and claustrophobic film about a marriage going down the tubes, also starring Ryan Gosling, but with Michelle Williams, and although this is a more familiar genre, it is still blissfully gripping. Certainly, I was gripped, blissfully, which was nice, as I haven’t been held in such a way for a long, long time, although I couldn’t tell you why. I’m up for a blissful grip at any time, just so you know.
But we have a problem, you and I. This is one of those films you should see without knowing anything about it. The more you know, the less it will surprise and engage. Indeed, experts say having advance know-ledge of any of the narrative twists, turns and collisions will reduce your enjoyment by 37 per cent, on average. (Particularly susceptible people may have their enjoyment reduced by as much as 72 per cent.) I was minded to just say ‘go see it’ and leave it at that, leave the rest of the page blank, but didn’t dare put this idea to my boss, Liz, because she’d accuse me of shirking, even though I work so hard I sometimes miss Loose Women, and I’ve never had the time to carve a radish into a lotus flower, which is my greatest wish. So what follows is as much as I feel I can say and if it strikes you I’m not saying much at all, it’s for your own good, so get over it or, better still, go to the cinema.
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