Dan

I didn't like the third act the first time I watched this, but I watched the whole thing again last night, and while I still have some issues with it, I agree that it's a fitting ending tot the entire story. Ending it after act 2, or giving act 2 its own mini-ending would have been far worse.

inri222

I wanted to like the rest of the film as much as I liked the first act but I just can't. It did not have to end after the second act but I just think that the third act could have been much better if it would have gone in a totally different direction than what it did. Too many contrivances, coincidences and down right heavy handedness. Ciafrance should have waited a couple of films before trying to make something this ambitious and epic. So much wasted potential. And that folks is my opinion...

bootsy

OK what direction should he have went. If you are gonna suggest this at least give an example.

inri222

One example of many scenarios : go back timewise to show how Gosling and Cooper were raised as youngsters and how were guided into their corresponding paths of adulthood.

I personally would have kept it at two acts and made each one a little longer fleshing out the characters and added more of Ben Mendelsohn.
Who says everything has to wrap itself up into tidy package.

bootsy

Ehh. That doesn't sound interesting at all. Like I said the movie is very good the way it is.

inri222

It's just one scenario off the top of my head that doesn't use ridiculous coincidence and there are possibly many others.
What kills the last act for me is that when compared to the first act it feels like a Paul Haggis film.

EddieMoney

I think it's a great movie, and it's most overlooked asset is that amazing Mike Patton score.