20 Famous Movie Tattoos (And What They Actually Mean)
2. Place Beyond The Pines (2013)
Role: Ryan Gosling as Luke Glanton
Locally famous motorcycle stuntman Handsome Luke Glanton is covered in ink. It would be a tedious task examining every single one of the tattoos splattered across his body, but some are definitely more memorable than others.
A particularly enduring image is the large frigate covering a sizeable portion of Glantons back. This is symbolic of Handsome Lukes daring, adventurous spirit, willing to act outside the law to achieve his desired ends. His willingness to embrace his radical freedom is also represented by the solid bird tattoo in the middle of his chest, perhaps nodding to the aforementioned butterfly chest-piece in Papillon.
The fact that the boat shown on Lukes back is just an outline rather than being shaded or coloured is typical of his unreliable, immature nature; not seeing the tattoo through to completion. Indeed, all of Lukes tattoos are scattered and lack cohesion. It is this part of Glanton which prohibits him from fitting into society a trait which will motivate the criminal activity he eventually resorts to.
Speaking more literally, tattoos in the 1990s when the first part of the film is set had a far greater social stigma. The films director Derek Cianrance has been very forthcoming in making it known that it was Gosling who pushed for Handsome Luke to be so heavily tattooed.
We must thank you for this Ryan - it is a definitive part of a very compelling character and one of the most memorable aspects of a mystical, poetically-poignant film.