The Place Beyond the Pines 2013

In the year 1997, Luke Glanton, a talented motorcycle stuntman working with a traveling carnival, crosses paths with his former lover, Romina Gutierrez. To his shock, he learns that he is the father of Romina’s son, Jason, who was born the previous year, despite her being with another man named Kofi Kancam. Driven by a desire to connect with Romina and his child, Luke leaves the carnival and settles in Schenectady to be near them.

Luke starts a job as a part-time worker for auto mechanic Robin Van Der Hook. During their interactions, Robin reveals his criminal past as a bank robber and proposes that they team up for a string of heists. This escalates quickly, leading Luke to rob banks at gunpoint, escaping on his motorcycle which ultimately leads him to Robin’s getaway vehicle. Despite Romina’s objections, Luke gives her a portion of the money he pilfered during one of the robberies, hoping it will provide for Jason’s future.

Their relationship rekindles briefly when Luke and Romina share an intimate moment in his trailer, and he expresses his commitment to being involved in Jason’s life. However, tensions rise when Luke enters Romina and Kofi’s home uninvited to build a crib for Jason, resulting in a violent confrontation with Kofi. A scuffle ensues, and Luke ends up getting arrested. Thankfully, Robin bails him out, but their friendship deteriorates when Robin refuses to partake in any further heists, leading to Luke stealing from him to fund his quest for a new motorcycle.

In a fateful turn of events, a botched bank robbery triggers a dramatic chase with the police. In a desperate measure, Luke seeks refuge inside a stranger’s home and reaches out to Romina, pleading with her not to reveal his presence to Jason. This tense moment takes a tragic twist when rookie officer Avery Cross confronts Luke, resulting in a fatal altercation that claims Luke’s life but is spun by Avery as an act of heroism. Avery’s remorse is palpable, yet he maintains a cover story for his superiors while a group of corrupt officers pulls him into their dark dealings, seizing the few stolen bills that ended up in Romina’s hands.

Fast forward to 2012, Avery has ascended the ranks to become a candidate for Attorney General of New York. His son, A.J., who has had his own struggles with drugs, comes to live with him and soon befriends Jason, who himself is oblivious to the sinister history connecting their families. When both are caught in a drug-related incident, Avery recognizes Jason’s name, making a gesture to drop the charges, but orders A.J. to steer clear of Jason.

As secrets unravel, Kofi reveals Jason’s connection to Luke, prompting Jason to seek out Robin for more insight into his father’s criminal past. A.J. pressures him into theft, leading to a violent confrontation between the young men at a party. Injured and enraged, Jason buys a gun and sets out on a path of revenge against Avery. In a tense encounter, he takes Avery hostage, driving him to the woods where Avery voices his regrets over Luke’s death. A pivotal moment arises as Jason takes Avery’s wallet, discovering a treasured photo of himself as a child with his parents, a haunting reminder of the past.

In a full circle moment, Avery finally reaches the pinnacle of his career as New York’s attorney general, alongside a changed relationship with his son A.J. Meanwhile, Romina receives a mysterious envelope addressed to “Mom,” containing the long-lost photograph that Jason had found. As Jason embraces his father’s legacy, he buys a motorcycle and rides off into an uncertain future, carrying the weight of destiny intertwined with his family’s past.