Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that The Place Beyond the Pines is a powerful but bleak drama about what happens when a man discovers that he has fathered a child with a fling he can't forget and tries to make it right, thereby unleashing a series of wrongs. It's violent (for example, a character is shot dead, the camera lingering on his bloody, broken body; other scenes also involve guns, a beating, and more), fairly bleak, and quite difficult to watch at times. Expect very strong, frequent swearing ("s--t," "f--k," and more); drinking, pill-popping, and pot smoking among teens (plus adults drinking and smoking), and moments of heightened menace that will be too intense for younger viewers.

Sexual Content

Flirty gazes and some kissing. The movie begins with the camera gazing at a man's naked, chiseled torso and back. A sexual reference.

Violence

Violent scenes include characters drawing guns and shooting at one another. In one instance, a man puts a gun into another character's mouth. A man is shot and falls through a window, the camera lingering on his broken body, blood seeping underneath his head. A teen shoots another and points his gun at someone else. He also gets beaten to a bloody pulp. In many scenes, a menacing vibe lingers.

Language

Very frequent, strong language includes "f--k" (and the related "motherf--ker"), "s--t," "bitch," "p---y," "d--k," "a--hole," "ass," "hell," "oh my God," and more, sometimes said by teens.

Social Behavior

The movie is pretty bleak, but it does put forth the idea that what goes around comes around. And that sometimes, even the most troubled souls will want to do right -- they just might not know how.

Consumerism

Logos for Honda and Chevrolet are prominently displayed; specific mention of the drug Oxycontin.

Drugs / Tobacco / Alcohol

Teens are shown partying/drinking, popping pills (Oxycontin), and smoking pot at a party. Adults are also seen drinking and smoking cigarettes.