MovieChat Forums > The Place Beyond the Pines (2013) Discussion > once again Gosling delivers and Cooper f...

once again Gosling delivers and Cooper fails

posted 11 years ago by movieman82
21 replies | jump to latest

and once again Bradley cooper shows audiences that he is incapable of carrying a movie. sad thing is that he didn't even have to carry a whole movie. gosling carried the first act of the film just wonderfully. then cooper had the second act, and failed. while the 2 kids carried the third. all he had to do was hold onto an hour on his own and he couldn't even do that.

i'm sorry have we had enough of Bradley cooper yet. now im not saying he's awful as an actor, as their are much worse out there. but cooper should only be in ensemble or strictly smaller supporting roles. he's demonstrated multiple times he is incapable of holding a movie on his own.

SLP was a really good movie as well, and that role would have been so much better served had they cast a better actor than cooper. AH was another movie where the film wopuld have been better served with a stronger actor. I seriously feel cooper is the Hollywood equivalent of the word fetch from "mean girls." I want to yell at someone in Hollywood and say stop trying to make fetch happen, fetch is NOT going to happen.

that being said I enjoyed this film very much, just think it would have been better without cooper

Message boards are here to discuss BOTH the good and bad, understand this.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] Screen_Queen 11 years ago

I love Gosling, but holy crap do I agree with this. I hate Drive with a passion, and I hate that he acts the exact same way in this movie. He can absolutely do much better, I've seen him do better. I really hate the 'let's just do a bland stare and look cool' performance.

When you grow up, your heart dies.

[–] TheDarkKnightMatter 10 years ago

Basement critic. They always think they can do better.

[–] MovieFella23 11 years ago

Please explain one scene where Cooper doesn't deliver. And for the second poster, please explain one scene where gosling doesn't deliver. Sounds like you both have problems with these actors even before you started watching the movie..

[–] hecantune 11 years ago

Agreed, that's exactly what it sounds like. While I enjoyed Gosling's portion of the movie much more both of these guys were great. My preferring the first half has less to do with Cooper and more to do with the way the story unfolded with the sons.

Back off! ... Way off!"""

[–] SheLeppie 11 years ago

Thank you OP. I feel the same way about Cooper's inexplicable success. He's really nothing special at all and a mediocre actor. Gosling is in a different league altogether.

[–] movieman82 11 years ago

<<Please explain one scene where Cooper doesn't deliver.>>

almost every scene he was in. im sorry but I've tried so many times with Bradley cooper. I really have . I've seen a bunch of his films and have tried giving this guy a chance as an actor but he's just not very good. he tries, i'll give him that, but he's NOT a leading man. he's at best mediocre.

he's either overacting like IN SLP, trying too hard like he was in AH, or he's just captain bland like in this film, and totally void of any emotion whatsoever. i'm sorry but I like to watch actors that make you feel something, and don't must look bored on screen, or like they're reading from cue cards.

Message boards are here to discuss BOTH the good and bad, understand this.

[–] MovieBuffNow 11 years ago

I completely agree! I watched the first hour engrossed but after Cooper came in I fell asleep multiple times......

[–] IcySpoon 11 years ago

I had a similar reaction the first time I viewed the film. I lost interest after Gosling's character died-I was disappointed. On the second viewing I paid more attention when Cooper came on screen. Comparing the two actors or even the two characters is like comparing apples and oranges - Gosling has a charisma that is particularly attractive to most women-the enigmatic, bad boy. I think Cooper had the more difficult character to portray-someone who is rigid, controlled, in command of where he's going-not a sympathetic character. I thought he was particularly good in the scene with the therapist. The camera came in tight on his face while he was speaking about the growing distance he felt with his son since the shooting and how he even had difficultly looking at him. I thought the range of emotions that played across his face was subtle - you could feel his pain and his desperate attempts to deny and move past it. In the next scene he is sitting on the sofa staring at his son who is playing across the room-Cooper's eyes look sad-there's no connection with his son. I think the son's behavior was a direct result of his father's distance and inability to relate to him and his son's desperate attempts to get his attention.

Try and watch the movie again and if possible don't compare the lead's performance's-let them stand alone.
"Gentlemen you can't fight in here!" "This is the war room!" Dr. Strangelove

[–] KeanuMeansLove 10 years ago

great post, agree 100% and very beautifully said!

[–] zachanscom 11 years ago

cooper is a stink bomb. the guy's got a boring, annoying face, and no presense.

[–] YepiTsTrue11 11 years ago

I disagree. In fact, some of Gosling's lines came off stale. He just had the better character, who looked cooler.

I was however impressed with Cooper. Not one false note. This movie actually made me see what a great actor he is. Gosling isn't as good.

[–] LangleyA-1 11 years ago

I think that's most people's problem right there. Cooper lacks presence. Ryan Gosling has a lot of presence, even though he's silent most of the time. It's a natural thing for him. But the film clearly wanted the 2 actors to portray very different characters altogether, so it's up to the viewer on who they prefer.

[–] ihmgrad 10 years ago

This message is for EVERYONE who is dreaming of being an actor: LEARN HOW TO CRY FOR REAL. Gosling was able to do it---Cooper could not. I want to see real tears--not just a scrunched up face.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] gregorik 10 years ago

This.
Cooper and Gosling were equally good.
Gosling had one of the flashier roles of his career. An outlaw drifter with tattoos all over? Even Jack Black could've played that to full effect.

Cooper played a nondescript good cop going through a crisis. Cooper's role was tougher.

---
"Don't just DO something, STAND there!"
Pastor Charlie Bing