Blue Valentine was a bit of a disappointment when I watched. I became attached to the trailer and after watching the movie just felt let down by the overall emotional impact of the story. Derek Cianfrance now has his second directed movie out, The Place Beyond the Pines, and once again I got very excited, but was able to keep it a bit toned down considering the last time watching a movie of his. With this one though my expectations were exceeded. Cianfrance hits in this movie where you want it to and cast the perfect setting for the character to develop. He gives us a cast of characters who we for some reason grow to care about, mostly Luke that is, even though they seem like not too good of people.
Summary: Luke is a stunt motorcycle rider who learns he fathered a son with a woman he met while in the area a year ago. After learning of this he wants to provide for her and the child. She already has a boyfriend who has been in her life and the child's consistently, but she has obvious feelings for Luke that remain. To provide Luke turns to robbery and this sends a police officer, Avery, involved in corrupt dealings on his tail.
