The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
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The story
In 1994, Luke Glanton, a motorcycle stuntman, discovers his ex-lover Romina Gutierrez has a son he never knew about. To provide for them, Luke begins a life of bank robbery with an old acquaintance. Meanwhile, Avery Cross is an ambitious police officer struggling with the corruption within his own department. The narrative follows these two men and the subsequent impact of their actions on the next generation. Fifteen years later, the lives of their children, Jason and A.J., begin to collide as they navigate the fallout of their fathers' choices in the city of Schenectady.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1994, Luke Glanton, a motorcycle stuntman, learns that his ex-lover Romina has a son, Jason. To provide for them, he begins a series of bank robberies with a former associate, Robin. After a violent confrontation leads to Luke's death, he is killed by Avery Cross, a police officer who is hailed as a hero but is secretly pressured by corrupt colleagues to find the stolen money. Avery eventually secures a promotion by exposing the corruption. Fifteen years later, Avery is running for Attorney General. His son, A.J., meets Jason, the son of the man Avery killed. The two boys, unaware of their fathers' history, are arrested for drug possession. Jason eventually discovers the truth about his father's death and Avery's role in it. After a violent confrontation with A.J., Jason takes Avery hostage in the woods, where Avery admits his guilt. Jason leaves Avery unharmed and mails a photo of himself as a baby to Romina. The film ends with Avery winning his election and Jason riding away on a motorcycle.
- First release year
- 2012
- Runtime (minutes)
- 140
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Derek Cianfrance
- Writers
- Derek Cianfrance · screenplay; Ben Coccio · screenplay; Darius Marder · screenplay; Derek Cianfrance · story; Ben Coccio · story
- Cast and characters
- Ryan Gosling · Luke Glanton; Bradley Cooper · Avery Cross; Eva Mendes · Romina Gutierrez; Dane DeHaan · Jason; Emory Cohen · A.J.; Rose Byrne · Jennifer Cross; Mahershala Ali; Bruce Greenwood; Harris Yulin; Ben Mendelsohn; Ray Liotta · Peter Deluca
- Genres
- crime; drama
- Themes
- fathers and sons
- Tone and mood
- haunted
- Setting
- Schenectady, New York, spanning the years 1994 and 2009.
- Premise and plot tags
- multi-generational saga; masculine identity; legacy
- Content notes
- violence
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 68 · scale: 100 · review count: 42
- Awards and nominations
- Satellite Award · Best Actor in a Supporting Role · 18th Satellite Awards · nomination; Saturn Award · Best Thriller Film · 40th Saturn Awards · nomination
- Production trivia
- The title is an Iroquoian translation of Schenectady.; The script underwent 37 versions during production.; The film features a score by Mike Patton.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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