Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes Gave Some of Their Best Performances in This Thriller — And Fell in Love at the Same Time

Although Derek Cianfranceis certainly one of the most talented filmmakers of his generation, he is also someone who rarely turns away from potentially divisive material, as many of his projects are almost entirely focused on authentic depictions of suffering and trauma. Cianfrance first announced himself as a filmmaker to watch with the powerful marriage drama Blue Valentine, which proved that Ryan Goslingwas a far more versatile actor than The Notebook may have suggested. Given the level of acclaim Gosling received for the dark film, it was not a surprise that he ended up collaborating with Cianfrance again. Gosling gave one of his most heartbreaking performances in the brutal crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines, which co-starred his future wife, Eva Mendes.