The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 American crime thriller drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance, from a screenplay by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder, and based on a story by Cianfrance and Coccio. Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Dane DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, Ben Mendelsohn, and Ray Liotta, the film follows three linear stories: Luke Glanton (Gosling), a motorcycle stunt rider who supports his ex-lover Romina Gutierrez (Mendes) and their newborn son through a life of crime; Avery Cross (Cooper), an ambitious police officer who confronts his corrupt police department; and Jason (DeHaan) and A.J. (Cohen), two troubled teenagers who explore the aftermath of Luke and Avery's actions fifteen years later.

Cianfrance was inspired to write The Place Beyond the Pines based on his experiences as a father. Coccio and Marder, who shared similar interests in film and media, helped write the script. Cianfrance envisioned the main themes to be about fathers and sons, masculine identity, and legacy. The film reunites Cianfrance and Gosling, who had previously worked together on Blue Valentine (2010). The role of Luke was written for Gosling, as he expressed an interest in playing a bank robber.

Principal photography took place in Schenectady, New York, during the summer of 2011. Though the film contains a disclaimer that its events are entirely fictitious, critics have theorized that the police corruption depicted therein was based upon a 2002 scandal in which five officers, including former Schenectady Police Chief Gregory Kaczmarek, were indicted by the United States Department of Justice for their participation in a local narcotics distribution ring.

The Place Beyond the Pines premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2012, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 29, 2013. The film received positive reviews from critics and was a modest box office success, grossing $47.1 million against its $15 million production budget. Gosling was nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the 18th Satellite Awards and the film was nominated for the inaugural Saturn Award for Best Thriller Film at the 40th Saturn Awards.