<Tr> <Th> Budget </Th> <Td> $15 million </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Box office </Th> <Td> $47 million </Td> </Tr> <P> The Place Beyond the Pines is a 2012 American crime drama film directed by Derek Cianfrance and written by Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, and Darius Marder . It stars Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan, with Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, and Ray Liotta in supporting roles . The film reunites Cianfrance and Gosling, who worked together on 2010s Blue Valentine . The film was scored by Mike Patton and also featured previously written music by Estonian composer Arvo Pärt . The title is the English meaning of the city of Schenectady, New York, which is derived loosely from a Mohawk word for "place beyond the pine plains ." </P> <P> In 1997, Luke Glanton (Gosling) is a locally well - known motorcycle stuntman working in a traveling act for state fairs . During a fair in Schenectady, New York, Luke reunites with his ex-lover Romina Gutierrez (Mendes) and drives her home . He asks her out on a date, but she declines, as she has become involved with another man named Kofi Kancam (Ali). Luke later returns and discovers that Romina has a baby son named Jason that he fathered which she never revealed to him . Luke does not want their son to grow up without knowing who his father was, as he himself suffered the same fate . Luke quits his job to support Romina and their son, but Romina is reluctant to have him in their son's life due to his insufficient means as a provider . He turns to a local auto repair shop owner, Robin Van Der Hook, for part - time employment as he repeatedly attempts to insert himself into his son's life . Earning little, Luke asks Robin for more work so he can contribute to his son's care, which he is unable to obtain . </P>

Where does the place beyond the pines take place