The Place Beyond The Pines Will Be Epic Like The Godfather

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Though it’s backed by a star studded cast and helmed by an acclaimed director, The Place Beyond The Pines is flying a bit below the radar. Sure, people know about it and its arrival at TIFF will be accompanied by some strong anticipation, but for the most part, news and promotional material from the film hasn’t been plentiful.

While I think it’s safe to say that the film will deliver, I think it would still be a stretch to compare it to one of the all time greats in its genre. But, that’s just what star Dane DeHaan has done.

DeHaan plays the son of Ryan Gosling character’s in Derek Cianfrance’s upcoming film and in a recent interview to promote Lawless, the young actor compared the film to The Godfather.

When asked about The Place Beyond The Pines, here’s what DeHaan said:

I can’t go into too much detail about that, but I can say that I’ve never been more proud to be a part of anything in my life than The Place Beyond the Pines. I think the movie is amazing. It’s going to Toronto and I can’t wait until it’s shown to the world. I’m a big fan of Derek [Cianfrance].

I loved Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines has that gritty realness of Blue Valentine. I think it’s epic in scope and plot like The Godfather. That movie was such a fulfilling process to make and to see the fruits of our labor was unbelievably fulfilling. So, that’s project that I can’t wait to be shown to the world.

That’s a bold claim to make, even though I’m sure that the film will be great. It’s poised to be an impressive crime thriller but to compare it to the best in the genre? Really?

Honestly, I hope he’s right, as I do expect a lot from the film. But still, I just can’t see The Place Beyond The Pines being as epic in scope and plot as The Godfather.

With a cast like Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Ray Liotta, and a director like Cianfrance, the film will certainly be an awards contender. And, if DeHaan is right, it may also be comparable to Francis Ford Coppola’s masterful epic.

What do you think? Is DeHaan right about The Place Beyond The Pines? Or is he just hyping it up?