Emotion is often what sticks in a viewer's mind for the longest period of time after watching a show or film; while details of the plot may fade from their memory, it’s not easy for them to forget the feelings they experienced amidst and what their initial reactions were. When thinking about modern filmmakers that tap into intimate, devastating stories that are unafraid to tackle controversial issues, Derek Cianfrance’s name should come to mind. Despite his relatively short resume, Cianfrance has delivered some of the most hauntingly beautiful films and one excellent HBO series in recent memory. While his projects are often difficult to sit through because of their subject material, there’s a beauty to the way that Cianfrance constructs his stories and highlights real issues that are worthy of discussion.
What makes Cianfrance so unique is that while his films and series are highly authentic, he doesn’t completely resort to neorealism. There are still artful, nonlinear, and metaphorical aspects within his projects that make them both aesthetically interesting and rewatchable for their thematic value. In addition to the projects that he directed, Cianfrance also contributed to the 2020 film Sound of Metal, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay alongside director Darius Marder; many award season buffs felt that it was a prize that they should have won over Emerald Fennell for the controversial film Promising Young Woman. Here is every Derek Cianfrance movie and TV show, ranked worst to best.
4 The Light Between Oceans
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Based on a 2012 novel by M. L. Stedman, The Light Between Oceans is perhaps Cianfrance’s most straightforward project to date. While it certainly does not lack any of the emotional resonance of his more experimental projects, the film proceeds like a typical period romance with a good deal of melodrama. Those willing to engage with the slower pacing will certainly be taken in by the poignancy of the central romance, but it’s unlikely to win over anyone who generally does not enjoy period pieces. There’s an interesting ethical question that The Light Between Oceans asks regarding whether justice can ever be objective, but it’s easily the most indulgent of Cianfrance’s work.
The Light Between Oceans is set in the 1910s and follows World War I veteran Tom Sherbourne (Michael Fassbender) as he works in a solitary lighthouse on Janus Rock off the coast of Australia. After falling in love and marrying the local girl Isabel Graysmark (Alicia Vikander), the couple experiences hardship when they are unable to conceive a child. Although they’re overjoyed to find a missing baby that they raise as their own, Tom and Isabel face the consequences when the child’s mother (Rachel Weisz) emerges. While the chemistry between Fassbender and Vikander (who are married in real life) is electrifying, the overbearing sadness of The Light Between Oceans makes it difficult to watch for its overlong 132-minute runtime.
3 I Know This Much Is True
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I Know This Much Is True certainly contains the best performance that Cianfrance has ever gotten out of an actor; the six-part HBO miniseries stars Mark Ruffalo in a dual role as the identical twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey. Thomas is a paranoid schizophrenic who is able to live a relatively normal life, but after a violent incident when he attempts to make a public protest, he’s forced to stay in a neglectful mental facility that only worsens his conditions. Dominick is forced to commit his entire life to getting his brother out of confinement and securing his health and safety, but he experiences continued setbacks due to the restrictions of the institution.
I Know This Much Is True is among the most grueling miniseries in recent memory, but it does a great job at showing how poorly mentally ill people are treated by the medical system in the United States. Ruffalo is absolutely outstanding, capturing both Thomas’ challenging condition and Dominick’s frustrated dedication. However, it does feel like the show has stretched out only three or four episodes into a longer six episodes.
2 The Place Beyond the Pines
The Place Beyond the Pines is Cianfrance’s epic crime masterpiece, as he shows how events ripple across three generations between a pair of fathers and sons. Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper star as the stunt driver-turned robber Luke Glanton and the career cop Avery Cross, respectively, whose paths cross in a frantic heist getaway. Their fates are forever linked, and they affect both men’s sons when Jason Glanton (Dane DeHaan) and A.J. Cross (Emory Cohen) cross paths as teenagers.
The Place Beyond the Pines is riveting because of its unusual structure and the bold narrative risks that it takes; it’s a film that should be watched knowing as little about the story as possible, as it doesn’t quite function as well after knowing the twists. However, the thoroughness of showing both families and their responsibilities over time makes The Place Beyond the Pines one of Cianfrance’s most essential projects.
1 Blue Valentine
While it is among the most depressing films ever made, Blue Valentine is essential viewing for any cinephile. Not only does Cianfrance cut to the core of how difficult marriage can be, but he effectively utilizes nonlinear storytelling techniques to subvert expectations of the standard breakup movie. The film explores the relationship between the medical staffer Cindy (Michelle Williams) and the high school dropout Dean (Ryan Gosling); while Cindy is struggling with the stress of her profession and Dean is also between jobs, they initially find kinship within each other. However, their marriage slowly decays over time resulting in a battle to win the affection of their young daughter Frankie.
The brilliant decision Cianfrance makes is telling the story out of order. Instead of slowly building to the couple’s decline, the film intercuts moments of joy and disparity against each other. The audience has sympathy for both characters at different points. Even though they understand that Dean and Cindy can’t stay together in a healthy relationship, it’s still deeply sad to see them part ways. In a rave review, Roger Ebert said he was impressed how Cianfrance “observes with great exactitude the birth and decay of a relationship.”