The Place Beyond the Pines

There’s so much ambition, both in conception and execution, that the sprawling drama The Place Beyond the Pines makes it easier to forgive its missteps.

The latest from writer-director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) reunites the filmmaker with star Ryan Gosling in a structurally flawed but emotionally powerful story that examines the relationship between fathers and sons.

It’s an atmospheric and deliberately paced crime thriller and character study that offers a fresh take on familiar themes of redemption, heroism and guilt, as well as a portrait of fatherhood through the stories of two men connected only by random circumstances.

The film essentially is told in three parts that overlap only slightly but crucially. The first stars Gosling as Luke, a motorcycle stunt rider in Schenectady, N.Y., who becomes a bank robber as a method of earning money in the hopes of reuniting with his ex-girlfriend (Eva Mendes) and infant child.

The role finds the versatile Gosling (Drive) disguised behind bleach-blond hair as a heavily tattooed chain smoker who again gets to showcase his driving skills.

Luke winds up on a downward spiral that leads to desperation, and eventually has him crossing paths with a rookie detective (Bradley Cooper) trying to fight against corruption with family concerns of his own.

The third segment takes place several years in the future, and offers a nifty twist to give the disparate stories a common thread.

Don’t miss the beginning, as Cianfrance opens with one of the more impressive tracking shots in recent memory during an elaborate carnival. There are other riveting sequences as well, such as the pivotal bank robbery scene in which the two main characters interact for the only time.

The director shows a confident visual style and gets strong performances out of both of his lead actors in change-of-pace roles.

The drama starts to feel strained amid the episodic structure, yet the troubled characters are complex and compelling.

The Place Beyond the Pines is somewhat contrived and unwieldy, but at least it attempts a serious discussion of topics such as family ties and parental responsibility. Ultimately, the finale rings false and the indulgences in the script by Cianfrance and two co-writers prevent the film from being more impactful.

Still, while the cumulative effect is modest, the ideas are difficult to dismiss.

Rated R, 140 minutes.