Peacock Is Now Streaming the Best Crime Drama You’ve Probably Never Seen

Everyone has a favorite crime drama. Whether it’s the quintessential mob drama The Godfather, the interconnected crime tale sprawled throughout Pulp Fiction, or the definitive Scorsese gangster film Goodfellas, crime dramas are a cornerstone of cinema and some of the most enduring, highly regarded films to hit theaters, but some have been overlooked. Peacock subscribers now have the chance to discover one of the most underrated crime dramas of the 2010s after it arrived on the NBCUniversal platform in February.

If it isn’t already on your watchlist, go ahead and add The Place Beyond the Pines to your weekend movie roundup. Derek Cianfrance’s 2012 epic crime drama is a criminally underseen and underrated modern classic, and it’s now streaming on Peacock as of February 1st. The multigenerational crime drama stars Ryan Gosling as a motorcycle stunt rider turned bank robber whose life collides with an ambitious cop, creating a lasting, destructive legacy that impacts both of their families fifteen years later. Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Mahershala Ali, Emory Cohen, and Dane DeHaan round out the cast of the movie, which grossed $47 million worldwide.

The Place Beyond the Pines Is a Powerhouse of Character-Driven Masterpiece

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It’s really a shame that, even more than a decade later, The Place Beyond the Pines continues to fly under the radar. Rather than a typical crime drama, the film is a deep meditation on how, in the words of the film, “if you ride like lightning, you’re going to crash,” focusing on the long-term, inescapable consequences of decisions. The movie is an absolute masterclass in storytelling, balancing intense, high-energy bank robberies and motorcycle stunts with slow, poignant moments of human drama through an ambitious, slow-burn three-act structure spanning 15 years. The interconnected narrative drives a deeply emotional, character-driven drama that explores the long-term impact of a single, fateful decision and themes of legacy, consequence, and moral obligation across generations.

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Cianfrance’s use of a documentary style through handheld shots and shaky close-ups and a focus on private moments blurs the line between fiction and reality to create an intimate, lived-in, and emotionally raw experience for the viewer. Meanwhile, Mike Patton’s score enhances that tense, moody atmosphere of the film, which earned a “Certified Fresh” distinction on Rotten Tomatoes with a 79% critic score. The high-caliber cast also deserves a mention, with Gosling and Cooper, as well as the rest of the supporting cast, delivering grounded, emotional, and gritty performances that carry the film.

What’s New on Peacock?

The Place Beyond the Pines is one of dozens of movies freshly streaming on Peacock. The NBCUniversal platform stocked everything from Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy to Talk To Me on February 1st, with other films, such as The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Train To Busan, arriving later in the month. The streamer is set to add even more titles on March 1st when movies like The Big Lebowski, John Wick: Chapter 4, and nearly the complete Leprechaun franchise start streaming.

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