The Place Beyond The Pines

There's good, there's great and there's some not so good. But overall, this movie really should have a wide audience. First, the not so good- it is too long. The first half of the film takes too long to establish something the audience all ready figures out- that Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a big screw up and it won't end well for him. The good is that the director really knows how to make the audience sit on the edge of their seats, and since the movie is new, no one really knows what to expect so the tension is palpable in the theater.  The great part is that once Bradley Cooper (looking rather plain as Avery, a feat in itself) steps in, the whole thing ramps up. It has a generational plot- the fathers- Luke and Avery- both have sons of the same age. And when the movie skips ahead 15 years, the depth of loss for everyone unfolds. It is a pretty good movie, and though it is in limited release, it should gain some traction and do well. I'd recommend it.