Hypable had the opportunity to see Ryan Gosling’s latest film The Place Beyond the Pines. See why we thought that this was director Derek Cianfrance’s latest masterpiece.

A sigh in. A sigh out. And then, it’s off to the races. The Place Beyond the Pines takes but a moment to breathe, and refuses to slow down from there. A large rush of noises and colors accompanies the audiences’ introduction to Luke (Ryan Gosling), a biker for a carnival’s motorcycle derby.

Luke’s life on the road takes a sharp turn when he discovers that his past fling Romaine (Eva Mendes) bore his child. What follows is a three-part epic telling of the bonds of father-son relationships, the corruption in small-town police task forces, and the legacy we leave for future generations to suffer from.

Gosling and Mendes look a little too pretty to portray their starving and impoverished characters, but that’s not from lack of trying. Every move of the real-life couple works in tandem in a beautifully scrupulous manner.

The second act introduces Gosling’s co-star, Bradley Cooper, as a do-gooder rookie cop named Avery. Cooper starts his performance off in naïvety, but evolves Avery into a complex character worthy of comparison to those present in films like American Beauty and Forrest Gump.

The final act allows newcomers Dane DeHaan (Chronicle) and Emory Cohen (Smash) the opprotunity to explore the complexities of growing up in a poverty-ridden area. It would be a shame to reveal how all three acts tie in together, but it should be noted that the script was crafted to near perfection to do so.

Director Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) knows how to envoke emotions like select few others. The simplicity of his close-up shots and landscape tilts worked wonders to say all of the things on film that would’ve been impossible to convey by words alone.

This perfect medley of director and actor performances will bring about change in its viewer. This is especially true for those from areas similar to where it was shot and took place in, Schnectady in upstate New York.

Whether you’re in it for the thrill ride, Mendes, Gosling, and Cooper’s performances, or Cianfrance’s expert direction, it is a guarantee that The Place Beyond the Pines will wow audiences and critics alike.

Grade: A+

Rated: R (for language throughout, some violence, teen drug and alcohol use, and a sexual reference)

The Place Beyond the Pines has a limited release on March 29, and various releases around the same time around the world.