avagaysmith

In general, 'This is Us' is brilliant. The way the stories are woven with the present and the past generally has me awed, glued, connected. This though...this episode moved me deep in my spirit. I bawled! Ugly, hurt but accepting tears. That's not even the right expression but I am just so overcome with emotion. So poignant. There are not a lot of episodes and shows like this on television. Simply exquisite.

I was a little sceptical of this movie especially when I saw the length (2 hours is really long) and I was not quite sure what sort of plot could be developed to make it worthwhile. I must say that it was worth it. This was just beautiful. Beautiful, well developed characters. A story line with hope and promise and self-belief. I enjoyed how Robert De Niro's character fathered/grandfathered Anne Hathaway's Jules. It was a beautiful relationship. I loved that the film was 'clean' and pure and the little comedy in the midst of it all just sorta provided that well needed release that good humour tends to bring. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

When I first heard of this movie I thought "how good could this possibly be?" I never thought it would be of worth to be honest. Then I decided to check out Ryan Gosling's IMDb profile after seeing a report that he was in a relationship with Eva Mendes. I read the little summary that usually accompanies the movies and I said 'ok...let me give it a try and see what it's about.' So I did. I gave "The place beyond the pines" a try. From the very beginning it was captivating. A shot of a man's back as he walks through a crowded park with a t-shirt that appeared to be on the wrong side. I wondered "where is this movie really going?" Even at the very last minute of the movie I really still didn't know. It was a brilliant piece of story telling following the lives of men and their families and how there seeks to be a balance in the whole equation of life. One person does wrong and it affects another (and a whole host of others) and it continues to do so for a lifetime affecting multiple generations. This movie tells about family, love (if you could call it that), power, corruption, justice, honesty. In the end it really tells the story about how good conquers evil...as cliché as that is. I was left feeling absolutely moved by this movie. There were no tears but my spirit is heavy. It has left me reflective. If you're in the mood for drama that brings about reflection, watch this brilliant display of story telling. Watch Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper lead this cinematic work of art with the simplest of words and expressions.