10 Movie Characters Who Were Killed Off Way Too Soon

Ryan Gosling is one of those actors who can always spring a surprise or two with his range. From The Notebook to Barbie, and everything in between, he has proven to be a master of roles both dramatic and hilarious.

One role of his unlike any other, however, was as Luke in The Place Beyond the Pines. Here, Gosling played a deep and mysterious, damaged man, who turned from a motorbike stuntman into a bank robber to support his family. It's one of his more intriguing roles that was cut criminally short.

During the 2012 outing, Luke gets greedy, hitting too many banks too quickly, and is ultimately pinned down by a police officer, Avery (Bradley Cooper). At just under an hour into the film, Avery shoots Luke dead, allowing the perspective of the story first to briefly shift to Avery himself, and then to both his and Luke's sons, 15 years later.

As a piece about legacy, the time jump does make sense, but such a plot device is always tricky, particularly when it leaves a character behind like this. Luke's part in the story ultimately felt somewhat rushed, as 50 minutes was just not enough time to explore everything that needed to be explored.