The film points out how tough it can be to escape from cycles of violence, how misguided attempts to speed ahead only set someone on the road to ruin, and how the compulsion to ride like the wind is inextricable from the fear that you’re getting nowhere.

Its themes are familiar - guilt; redemption; manliness; those fraternal sins - but Cianfrance's artistry and the actors' riveting performances hook you in, and may even bring depth.

Its narrative riskiness and emotional avidity don't always make for the smoothest viewing experience. But Cianfrance seems less interested in a tidy chronicle than in exploring some threads, in creating a feeling and seeing where it goes.

Each and every performance on display is top-notch and even though it might not be the type of breezy, uplifting cinema most audiences pine for, it will be sure to leave you thinking minutes, hours and days later.