The Place Beyond The Pines

I saw this film on the same day as Iron Man 3 and to put it very briefly, I enjoyed this film much more. Maybe it was that this was the first film I saw that day, or could have been the scale, story and ambition that this film had in abundance. It was by no means perfect, but as everyone says “no film is perfect”.

Pines is the second film from director and co-writer Derek Cianfrance, who gave us the bruising Blue Valentine in 2010. In this film we are given a generational story about fathers and sons, manhood and coming of age that underlines every action and plot point in the film. As with Valentine, Cianfrance has attracted an impressive cast that really helps to bring depth to every character, even those whose lives we only meet briefly.

Spoilers below.

One of the films biggest talking points and most ambitious elements is its structure. Arguably the film could be interpreted as having two, three or even four parts. This is down to two similarly substantial changes in each of the two time periods, which dramatically change the events and nature of the characters and the narrative.

To explain, the film is broken into two time periods, separated by a fifteen year time jump that occurs around two thirds of the way through the film. In the first part we follow, first Ryan Gosling’s Luke, a motorcycle stunt driver who takes to robbing banks to support his one year old son.  We then transition to Bradley Cooper’s Avery, a police officer who chases Luke down.

What makes Pines so interesting is that the two leading men only have one extended sequence together, other than that they spend no time together on camera.

Following the jump forward we meet each man’s son.  They both go to the same school and become friends. It is a coincidence, but by this point the film has earned that and it is never emphasised, it is down to luck, in much the same way that their fathers met.

As for the structure, the film is driven in its individual parts by the male leads of that chapter. Gosling is the first we meet, so it seems only right that we start there. Gosling gives one of his better performances, but it still feels forced and at times over acted as he tries to make this character come across as believable. It’s hard to say where it doesn’t feel right, or comes across as natural, there just seems to be a feeling that it isn’t completely working. He is light years better than he was in Drive, but not quite on the level of Half Nelson.

Quite simply, this is one of, if not the best performances I have ever seen Bradley Cooper give and tops off a great year for him with this and Silver Linings Playbook. The film picks up whenever he is on screen, as he deals with the press and police force following his heroics in his meeting with Luke.  Corruption is all around him as he tries to make sense of it and find a way out, one that benefits him. In the space of forty minutes, we see Cooper manage to drive this character through his arc and evolve before our eyes. It is undoubtedly his character and actions that anchor and centre the film. A lesser performance would have caused the films third act pay off to fall flat and all of its stakes to fade.

Finally the two sons are played by Dane DeHaan (Luke’s son) and Emory Cohen (Avery’s son), some people have argued that this section is the film’s strongest section and has the most interesting characters. Maybe this is true because we get to see the consequences and conclusion to everything that has come before with their fathers, as well as the end of the own story.

Cohen as AJ, gives a flamboyant, arrogant performance that fits with his cocky snide character who you at first like, but quickly start to dislike and then ultimately downright dis-guard. DeHaan as Jason is a much subtler subdued character, playing a working class down trodden young man who seems to find life a struggle, despite the home he comes from, where his stepfather has done everything he can bring Jason up properly, something his father could have never done.

It may have been given an odd release date, post awards and next to one of the summers biggest releases, but this is one film that shouldn’t be missed and definitely experienced on a big screen.

Passing the Cowl

Come this August we will see Christian Bale’s last performance as Batman and Bruce Wayne, and the speculation will be begin as to who will be the next man to don the cowl. Not only will the task of bringing the character himself to life in a new and interesting way, but they will also be following an actor who has arguable given us one of the definitive portrayals of the characters numerous different personalities in believable and engaging performance.

When looking at the role of Batman you have to consider, it could be argued that it can be broken down into three separate personalities or aspects to the character. These being, Batman, Bruce Wayne as only Alfred sees and the Bruce Wayne that the rest of the world sees and judges. For the sake of ease of reading, I will refer to the private Bruce Wayne, purely as Bruce, and the other public Bruce Wayne as Wayne.

Briefly going through these different aspects of the overall character, the Batman part of the character is self explanatory in what is generally expected. Next comes the Bruce character, the one which is arguably the true Bruce Wayne, and which he keeps secret only showing it to Alfred, as it gives us an insight to pain that he feels over the loss of his parents, and often shows us the extent of the burden of being Batman has taken upon him. This was one of the main strengths and stand out part of Bale’s performance. Finally, is the Wayne aspect, which is often used as a distraction by Bruce, to keep people from suspecting him, and for comic relief moments, as he is often portrayed as being arrogant and sometimes oblivious to the wider world.

As mentioned by David S Goyer in an interview for Batman Begins, it was easy to find an actor to play either Batman or Bruce Wayne, but very difficult to find many that could play both, which was why Bale was cast, a decision that was well received by almost everyone. So once again, the creative team will once again have to embark on a search for someone who can provide the physique of the character, but also show a wide enough range to make him believable.

When considering the kind of casting you would need for Batman, it would be easy to just merely claim that it should go with an unknown actor and end the argument. As unlike some comic book roles, Batman can easily attract the best actors around, both because of the weight and stature of the character, but also because of the instant boost it can give to a career. Looking back at the last four men to play Batman, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney and Bale, neither of them were unknowns, all of them were well known, with a solid body of work, maybe not necessarily in genres that normally preside being cast as Batman. I am referring mainly on how people reacted when Keaton was cast, after doing a number of comedies, something none of the other three have done many of.

Now I would like to mention a name of who in my humble opinion should be considered by the next creative team. Ryan Gosling. Now depending on what direction the next creative team want to go, in terms of story, be it a reboot, and picking up when Batman is established (there really is no need to go and do another origin film, Batman Begins has that taken care of), or if they change their minds of a reboot, and pick up after the end of The Dark Knight Rises, if it’s still possible, then Gosling physically can pull of each possible direction.

In terms of acting ability, Gosling is more than capable of portraying three different aspects of the character. The three roles that demonstrated this were Drive, The Ides of March and Half Nelson. In regards to Drive, a character who spoke very sparsely, only when it was absolutely necessary, and who demonstrated a violent physicality, which would he need for the fistycuffs that crop up in any Batman film. In Half Nelson, we saw a vulnerable and flawed man, who at times couldn’t control an addiction that had a control over him, and could ruin him. Finally, in The Ides of March, we saw the more arrogant and uncaring man who at times, I felt, thought himself better than those around him, something that the Wayne character possesses, and needs to keep his relevancy.

Obviously, there is a chance that Gosling would have no interest in the role at all, and I am by no means saying that he is only one capable of playing Batman. There may be some young actor out there, who after one or two great films will be propelled to the top of the list, or an actor everyone knows will suddenly show a jump in ability, and catapult himself into contention.

Finally, like Bale, having Gosling as the next Batman, would really help the new creative team to build a great cast around their leading man, like Christopher Nolan has done with his Dark Knight trilogy, bringing in the best actors possible to bring the world to life, and give characters a weight and presence to them.

Whatever happens, it’s unlikely that we will find out who will don the cowl for a good three to four years, and even then, that could be wishful thinking. But if I had my way, it would be Ryan Gosling, pulling it on and disappearing into Gotham City.