Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper in the same movie! You think it's a dream? No, this is just a new work by director Derek Sienfrancs. After a rather successful film "Valentine", where the main role was played by the previously mentioned Ryan, a magnificent crime drama "A Place Under the Pines" was filmed.
The story tells us about a professional motorcycle racer who works where he can. After he has a newborn son, he looks for ways to support him. Since there is not enough money, our hero enters the slippery slope of crime, robbing banks. He is helped by his new friend Robin, whom he met in the woods when he was just riding his bike.
At first, the time of 2 hours and 20 minutes seems to be a clear drag on the picture, but after 40 minutes, you realize that everything is in its place. It is also worth noting the excellent work of the operator Sean Bobbitt. Beautiful views of the city, very successful shooting from the back, from which you get a real aesthetic pleasure. The atmosphere in the film is depressing, a bit melancholic. She sets the film's mood. Of course, this would not have happened without a good selection of actors.
Ryan Gosling (Luke) showed his whole emotional palette. Very bright, charismatic, explosive image and at the same time gentle and calm. Another great role in his already successful career. Bradley Cooper (Avery) has shown one of his best roles. The director made the most of it. On the one hand, it's good that Bradley has fully revealed himself, but on the other hand, will he stop progressing? Eve Mendes (Romina) fits seamlessly into this stunning male duo. Compared to her other work, she looked more relaxed.
If you rush like lightning, you will explode like thunder (c)
Sienfrancs got a wonderful picture, which will be revised again. One of the most memorable crime dramas of recent times.
The film is quite diverse and not simple in content, with many storylines, more or less important, several stories, formally almost do not overlap. If it were deeper and brighter, it could be called a family epic. And the super-idea, in the most general terms, is that we are all apples from our apple tree. Finishing the stories of older characters, the film jumps 15 years later into different circumstances and the next generation.
The first story involves the hero of Ryan Gosling, handsome Luke. Growing up without a father, a unique motorcyclist from God, the king of speed, earns a living participating in motorcycle rides with which he roams the country. Accidentally learns about the existence of his son, tries to change fate, but in vain.
During a bank robbery that went wrong, he is pursued by police officer Avery (Bradley Cooper). This person belongs to a completely different world and another story. His father is an influential lawyer, judge, he is himself a certified lawyer with ambitions and working as a police officer on the ground, perhaps a thoughtful stage of his career. The episode with the capture of a bank robber makes Avery a hero, but at the same time involves him in a dirty story, from which it is not easy to get out. Cooper's character is probably the most complex in the whole picture. He is forced to balance on the verge of good and evil, lies and truth, wants to preserve the image of a person with an impeccable reputation and be in harmony with his own conscience, but life dictates its strict conditions. However, he takes advantage of the situation and makes a career.
After 15 years, we meet the sons of one and the other. Life confronts them for a moment, which turns out to be fatal for Luke’s son, but he comes out of trouble at once grown up and as restless a wanderer as his father. Avery's son does not seek to learn any lessons from the events and continues to enjoy a relaxed bliss under reliable parental care.
Ryan Gosling is very good, the best role in the film, although he has less space to play than Bradley Cooper, and his character is not as multidimensional. Bravurno begins the film and holds the audience’s attention firmly. Gosling very carefully builds his acting career and passing roles he has not yet had, and he is a professional. Directed by Derek Cienfrancs, who has already worked with Gosling on Valentine's, isn't the only one making a "bet for sure" on him. Nicholas Winding Refn also successfully “privatizes” it. I can’t help but mention that there are no similarities between Gosling’s characters in Drive and Place Under the Pine trees, unless they are extra-class cars and leather outfits.
For Bradley Cooper, this is not the best role, although watching him is interesting. He is most convincing at the end of the film as a polished political functionary. Very colorful was honored gangster Ray Liotta in a small role of a corrupt policeman; Ben Mendelsohn as Luke’s friend-employer (he had a similar character in the recent Casino Robbery). In the context of the film fits well and Eva Mendes, not as dazzling as usual, but more dramatic. A team of artists and editors has already worked with Searfrancham. The firm hand of the cameraman Sean Bobbitt is especially felt in action scenes (he owns, let me remind you, the famous, shot without gluing, Michael Fassbender’s run through the streets of New York in the film Shame).
Film for lovers of author's cinema, drama and melodrama.
The film brought the combination Gosling / Cooper. + Eva Mendes, but it is, a bonus.
So, "The Place Under the Pines." First shots. Gosling's Luke character on screen. Here he walks with a firm, confident gait to perform a dangerous stunt along with two equally desperate ones, and I realize that I have a man with nothing to lose. He lives one day, just "going with the flow."
Everything changes when Luke discovers he has a son. The change is instantaneous and dramatic. Yesterday he was going to leave, having exchanged one provincial town for another, and today he is ready to stay here for the rest of his life, again torturing his happiness with his former girlfriend? / girl? / casual acquaintance? / first big love? - the mother of his child.
He is ready to commit a crime in order to provide his son with everything he needs. However, he already has criminal experience behind him, however, it is not specified what and in general his past is very vague.
Ryan Gosling as Luke is beautiful. He is very organic in tattoos and with a gun. Immediately becomes so... dangerous, poor, attractive that unknown power that all the “bad guys” possess. I would love to see Ryan someday in a totally negative role, without the crime for good, as it was here in Drive. I think he would have made a stunning villain ...
By the way, analogies with "Drive" are inevitable, for again stuntman, again blonde, again all-encompassing kindness, interspersed with forced cruelty.
I don't even know what to say about his game. Gosling is a great dramatic actor. He just captivated me in Blue Valentine (the same director as Pine) and the aforementioned Drive. But here...must be the bright appearance of Ryan’s character blinded me and I just overlooked the most important thing :
The film is logically divided into 3 parts: “Before”, “After” and “After.15 years later”. Being one whole, they are perceived as completely different episodes. The “ligaments” for them are the characters of Eva Mendes and Bradley Cooper.
Mendes departs from the roles of fatal beauties and appears in the image of a mother, whom life does not pamper at all.
As for Cooper, his Avery seems ordinary and pale compared to Luke. He's a cop. Like Luke, he decides to change his life after a single event.
In general, duality is a feature of the film, it is all built on parallels. These are Luke-Avery; their ways of life; their sons in relation to fathers and each other.
The Place Under the Pines is marketed as a crime drama, but I would say it’s just drama. The story is slow and detailed. Tough moments can literally be counted on the fingers. I wish there were more and more of them.
Summary:
If you love drama stories of human tragedies, passions and vices, then this film is for you.
Look the same if you see in Ryan Gosling not only a beautiful face, but also a talented dramatic actor. Otherwise, I want to warn you. Out of almost two and a half hours, he is given only a third of screen time. Keep in mind that the remaining 2/3 you have to fill someone else, say Cooper, but Cooper is not Gosling, right? . .
"A Place Under the Pine" is the new and only the fourth full-length film by Derek Seanfrancs, which began with short films and documentary films. The director received relative fame after the release of “Valentine” three years ago – a non-stupid melodrama with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. Not without Gosling and in a new job. In fact, with his hero, the whole story begins.
1997. Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling) is a motorcyclist who makes a living in a traveling circus or amusement park. In one of the cities of the state of New York, he had fun with a waitress from a local diner (Eva Mendes), as a result of which he became a father. He only found out about his fatherhood a year later.
Luke has a dark past and an uncertain future, plus a catastrophic shortage of money. To support his young son, he decides to rob banks on a motorcycle. Until some time he was lucky, but once everything went wrong as planned: on his way there is a police recruit Avery Cross (Bradley Cooper), literally six months as graduated from the Academy.
The collision of these two leads to irreversible consequences. The situation is complicated by the fact that Cross, like Glanton, has a one-year-old son. Fifteen years pass - the children grow up, and fate (as well as the will of the writer) pushes them against each other.
The film, which began as an action movie, suddenly turns into a drama. Cienfrancs slowly and consistently builds the canvas of events and tells in detail about the collisions of the heroes, delving into their experiences and inner world. The peculiarity is that there are several central characters, and they replace each other on the screen almost in turn.
First, this is the story of a tramp-motorcyclist and a petty robber Glanton, then a story about the difficult life-being of a police officer Cross, well, and as the quintessence of history - the relationship of the sons of the latter. The only link is the waitress Romina (Eva Mendes). Speaking of acting, it is worth noting primarily Eva Mendes.
Kubinka played the drama perfectly, which had not been noticed before (perhaps because the directors exploited only her external data). Not bad and Bradley Cooper, gradually getting rid of the image of a funny jerk in second-rate comedies. Ryan Gosling after “Drive” changed the car to a motorcycle, but it did not get worse, except that it looks more brutal, but just as convincing.
Seanfrancs showed the life of the American outback without embellishment: drugs, corrupt policemen, vagabonds, spoiled sons, losers and reincarnations. A somewhat moralizing manner of presentation is more than justified by plot findings. Let’s add the excellent work of the cameraman and the music of Mike Patton that fits perfectly into context.
8 out of 10
I watched one of the most anticipated and non-blockbuster films of this year – “A Place in the Sun” directed by Derek Sienfrancs.
The film has a really great line-up, especially in the face of two antipodes - the desperate motorcycle thug Luke performed by Ryan Gosling and the good-bad cop Avery (Bradley Cooper). Female characters are represented by a cluttered Latin American immigrant Romina (Eva Mendes) and a dorky wife performed by Rose Byrne.
The film has everything: drive, speed, the eternal confrontation of bandits and police, bad cops – good cops, attraction to the bad guy and the choice of the good mind, drama and comic. But the main theme is, of course, the continuity of generations and the children of the main characters who grew up in the second part of the film.
Director Sienfrancs, previously known only “Valentine” with the same Gosling, says that in the role of Luke saw only Ryan Gosling (by the way, immediately recalls the sad-drive-dramatic “Drive” 2011), and the role of Avery specifically wrote “under Cooper”. I don’t know if that’s true, but the movie was great.
Gosling's hero is great. All tattooed, inside out T-shirt, desperate motorcycle racer, trickster and loner, overnight decides to change his life, learning that he has a son from a fleeting affair. The mother of the child Romina, despite the attraction to risky Luke, prefers a more reliable and thorough Kofi. And wanting to give the baby everything, Luke begins to rob banks, using his only skill - to virtuosoly ride a motorcycle.
Bradley Cooper's Avery is a good cop, honest and decent. His father is a well-known judge, and Avery has only one path since childhood - to become an important official. And for the sake of this goal, he is ready to go on heads, letting friends, relatives, wife and even son in exchange. From the outside, heroic and honest, inside he feels "rotten."
The female characters seemed completely faceless. Downtrodden, insecure Romina and nauseously devoted to her husband and so did not learn to live for themselves Jennifer (Byrne).
Another pleasant surprise was Dane DeHaan, the performer of the role of adult Jason, the son of Luke and Romina: both his character is very cute and cute, and the actor himself gives high hopes.
Music plays a special role in this wonderful movie, for which a special thank you to composer Mike Patton - the musical themes of the final part of the film fascinate and stir the soul. And of course, the stunning “place under the pines”, after which the city of Schenectady is called – the main scene of the picture.
In general, the movie is beautiful. The acting is great and the music is exciting.
And the action of the film does not let you get bored and distracted for a second, so it is alive, sharp and dynamic.
Premiere. Day. A movie. And people can count on their fingers. And somehow it hurt. I'm not the author.
It's about a new movie. America, Hollywood. However, things like this one I don’t want to give the label Hollywood. For he is not a popcorn style.
"Place under the pines." Director Derek Cienfrancs is generally not very famous and popular. By and large, there is one "big" Valentine movie in his career with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams starring. By the way, Gosling appeared in “Pines”.
The story. There was a guy. Unshaven, sloppy and ragged. He said little, smoked a lot and raced best on his sports bike. Gosling’s hero didn’t think about anything in his life until he learned that he had a son with the heroine Eva Mendez. And then the guy decides that there is no easier way to provide for the child than to rob money in the bank. And begins to perform his plans, using his talent as an unsurpassed racer. One day he screws up, and on the stage comes, or rather runs out, with a gun and in police uniform, the hero of Bradley Cooper. Their meeting ends sadly for the robber. But in the future, the hero of the police tormented conscience.
A simple story on the screen becomes a powerful drama that is pleasant to watch. It does not matter where: in the movies, at home on DVD or on TV. The film, as they say, is in the mood. Undoubtedly, “Place under the pines” will not please everyone. The picture is never box office, with a budget of $ 15 million. And it is unlikely that even these investments will pay off. “Pines” is primarily a movie for lovers and connoisseurs of high-quality, smart cinema. More than two hours do not look in one breath, but you do not want to “switch” or go out for a smoke. The narrative keeps the viewer from giving an opportunity to think about the little things of life.
So it was planned or so it happened - unknown. But the two most promising actors of our time (subjectively) met in the same film and almost did not appear in the same frame. Only once, but it doesn't count. Mann's "Fight" pops up in memory. No, to prophesy that Gosling is De Niro in the future, and Cooper is Pacino. Different actors. Is there something about it?
Is it worth watching?
Actors play. Gosling doesn't have to play. His tattooed body, torn T-shirt and pants do not change the charm that the actor produces. Plus a quick bike. Any girl agrees to take a ride with one, any guy recognizes him as cool. But Ryan Gosling still continues to perform his role at a high level. After "Gangster Hunters," it's nice to see Gosling in a movie where his skill came in handy, not just his pretty face. Bradley Cooper has already been nominated for an Oscar. He didn't, but he will. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in the “Pines”. The image of Eva Mendez was not a revelation, but, in general, we can say so – believe!
How it's taken and how it looks. Special thanks to cameraman Sean Bobbitt. The picture is amazing and beautiful. Close-ups are beautiful, and dynamic scenes are realistic and plastic. I saw the same thing only in "Children of Man" and "District 9", but still not quite. “The Place Under the Pines” is closer in spirit to the creations of Winding Röfn, namely “Drive”. However, to say that Cienfrance's film is neonoir would not be entirely correct. Rather a collection: something from Röfn, somewhere from O. Russell, and even has something in common with Eastwood.
That's fine. The music in the film is harmoniously woven into the narrative. It is not much, but one motif still stands out from the others. And it perfectly conveys the mood of the picture.
To sum up, let’s be honest – the film will not raise money and will not become a favorite among most viewers. He will certainly find his own man. This is not a crime thriller, not a detective and certainly not an action. A film about the life in which we are ordinary people. “The Place Under the Pines” is a wonderful drama, after which it is difficult not to start thinking. Sad and light at the same time. With hope for the good. There is no other way.
The place under the pines is a very insightful, touching drama. We are presented with actions directed against the law, against human morality, but they do not come with anger, but are aimed only for the good, for the preservation of our own family, our honor!
The images that the actors create for us are masterpieces.
Bradley Cooper, from role to role creates more convincing images, while playing different characters, bravo!
Eva Mendes, a beauty who always shows convincing roles, was not afraid that she would be shown ugly, bravo!
Ryan Gosling is a masterpiece, this unflappable image, which, although he does not have to play in the first, he perfects! Deserves recognition!
I also want to mention Ben Mendelssohn, who perfectly manages to play such roles of impregnated personalities, and Dane DeHaan plays well well with dignity!
The film is very firmly on its feet, there are no delusional twists in the history, everything is consistent and looks in one breath! The plot is very fascinating and charming, it penetrates into consciousness and simply is not able to let you go, even after the credits!
The soundtrack in the film is delightful, always fitting!
Love versus the Law. Fate vs Choice. Father versus Son. Gosling versus Cooper.
I went on a date with Ryan Gosling, but did not manage to be alone with him Bradley Cooper interfered. But the movie didn't get any worse.
Luke is a confused man, a man with tattoos, loves racing and has no purpose in life until he finds out he has a son.
I'm his father, I have to be there for him.
My father was not there, and this is what I became.
Now his only joy is his son, and his task is to provide for his son, to help his wife. But one wrong decision and you go to the abyss. If you fly like lightning, you will crash with thunder. (c)
The topic of fathers and children was relevant many years ago, it is relevant now and will always be relevant. Every father protects his family, and everyone does what they can. This is how Avery was a good father for his son, and he grew up the complete opposite of his father, and Jason, although he grew up without a father, still managed to not lose his way.
Ryan Gosling has recently become my idol, I really like the way he gets used to the role, lives it. This is not the first time he has played a rider and I will say that this role suits him very much, but it is not worth abusing this role.
Bradley Cooper is really amazing with his game. It is nice to see him in such a serious role after the Bachelor and Psycho.
Ben Mendelssohn contributed to the film.
"A Place Under the Pines" is a very interesting film in terms of the theme of fathers and children, the fact that Gosling and Cooper play there, I think fans of their work should watch it for sure, and do not be afraid that the film goes for two and a half hours, it is really interesting!
After Derek Sienfranc’s extremely successful Valentine, you’re waiting for a movie that also rips out your heart, digs into it, and pulls the most painful veins. If in Valentine’s you see love dying, in Pines you see the strong gene connections between fathers and children. How and what the first will inherit the second. Yes, Derek Sienfranchance can shoot trivial stories so that you want to cry. You feel like crying.
It is amazing how Ryan Gosling does not get out of his mind, although he starred only in the first part of the film, and in all the rest - only reminds of himself. You sit there and you look, and you think, how the hell is this banal? The son avenges his father - how much it was in the movies and in literature. But at the same time, something inside you lives with the characters, although you certainly impound one of them - namely, handsome Luke - to the amazingly charismatic actor Ryan Gosling.