Manchester by the Sea (2016) User Reviews (984)

Utterly depressing...

[ronakkotian · 9/10 · 12 July 2020]

This film left me feeling all sorts of emotions. It's definitely one of the most depressing films I've ever seen.

Manchester by the Sea tells the story of a depressed man named Lee who has to take care of his brother's son after his unfortunate death.

This is not a film that you go to watch for a good time. Manchester by the Sea made me feel really sad throughout the entirety of it and it's mainly done through the amazing performances and level of authenticity writer-director Kenneth Lonergan creates. This film is very simple. It's not stylish in any way and Lonergan's script maintains the realism through the runtime. At no point did I think there were actors playing the characters because the performances and conversations they were all having seemed too real. This made Lonergan's story about guilt, pain and depression more impactful and heartbreaking.

In my opinion, this is a career best performance by Casey Affleck. It's a performance that's rather sombre instead of flashy. His facial expressions are very subtle but you can still tell how broken and unhappy of a man he is. When you first see his character, you tend to dislike him but after finding out the reason why he's so miserable, you root for him and want him to recover from his depressive state. Michelle Williams isn't in the film much but she's brilliant in all the scenes she's present in. I thought Lucas Hedges was good but there were times where I found his accent quite jarring and a scene where he cries didn't seem too realistic.

It's best going into Manchester by the Sea not knowing much as I feel it makes the film more poignant. It's may not be an easy watch but I would like people to experience it so they can see the Kenneth Lonergan's talent as well as Casey Affleck's masterful performance.

An admirable film for the whole drama-genre

[maxvanstraelen · 9/10 · 1 April 2020]

Rarely there is a film these days to come out of Hollywood that is so humane, realistic and straight to the point. Though it feels a little bit overdone at times, the performances and subtle writing made 'Manchester by the Sea' a drama of craftsmanship.

While many don't like it because it doesn't 'hit home', I like it just for that reason, cause it does 'hit home' in a way. The story is told in a way that happens exclusively in the real world, without escaping to some universe all the time. It's a tale of mourning, loss and pain. It could just happen to you. See, that's what gives 'Manchester by the Sea' it's relatability and humanity.

It's as good as everyone is saying it is.

[subxerogravity · 9/10 · 20 November 2016]

It's just a well crafted picture.

Casey Affleck fits into this role like a glove, and he was amazing in it. If he were to win an Oscar for this one that would make sense completely.

Manchester by the Sea has Affleck as uncle Lee, a janitor in Boston whose brother dies and is forced by the will to take care of his nephew, a task he's not up to.

The movie is very real and strangely raw to be filmed so beautifully (but I am a sucker for movies shot in the winter). It's slow moving enough to notice but not enough to bore you, cause that's life.

What really grasp me about Manchester by the Sea is how clumsy it is. So many scenes in which the dramatic punches are ruined by everyday life. It's just not fake like a lot of movies are usually. It had the guts to keep in all those awkward moments that humans go through knowing that we would relate, and it does this without skipping on the romance you would find in dramas like this.

It's all the real emotions people go through when life gives you a curve ball, yet life does not allow you a time out. Great movie! Amazing performance by Affleck!!

A must see.

A tour de force

[rogerdarlington · 11 March 2017]

I spent the first 23 years of my life living in what i regard as the original Manchester in north-west England, so I was always going to be intrigued by the title of this film. The small fishing town in Massachusetts is a character in itself and different scenes feature prominently in the cinematography.

In fact, by the time I saw the movie at the cinema, Casey Affleck had already deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his stunning - often understated - performance as Lee Chandler, a Boston janitor who has to return to his home town where he is astonished to find that, following the death of his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), he has been given custody of his 16 year old nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges).

The story starts with scenes of Lee's life in Boston and it looks like this is a man with immense attitude. Only later do we learn, though one of many flash-backs, that this is not attitude, buy grief, guilt and white-hot anger. Affleck is rarely off the screen and gives a powerful and moving portrayal of a man that just cannot come to terms with his loss. This is not "About A Boy" (2002) where the youngster softens the man; this is more "Ordinary People" (1980) where deep pain has no ultimate resolution.

Among so many memorable scenes, two stand out: one in which very little is said and the music of Albinoni's Adagio has rarely been more heart-rending and another in which Joe meets his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) when little more is said but grief is shown to be unbridgeable. Writer and director Kennth Lonergan has given us a genuine tour de force.

As Good as I've Seen

[Hitchcoc · 10/10 · 25 February 2017]

Sometimes we have a work of art that doesn't have as its purpose to make us feel good. The criticism from the nay-sayers of this film talk about how depressing it is; that there is nothing happy about it. What this is is one of the most insightful portrayals of a man consumed with guilt that you will ever see. I know little about Casey Affleck, other than the obvious, but his portrayal of a man who feels the burden of inadvertently killing three of his children, is astonishing. Some say the characters are unlikable, including the son of his deceased brother. Well he is what he is. Yes he's a teenaged womanizer full of testosterone and self, but are we to change it for people that don't like him. That makes the issues that Affleck's character has to reconcile after his brother names him guardian of his son. This is a slice of realism, from his having to deal with his brother's death and all that entails (responsibility for the funeral and the legal issues). He is such damaged goods that someone needs to look after him. This is not a feel-good film. It presents us with a dysfunctional figure who is back in the town where everyone considers him a murderer. Could win the Oscar this year. If not, Affleck probably will.

A real experience of life fully lived

[howard.schumann · 10/10 · 16 October 2016]

Dealing with the aftermath of a tragedy turns a once warm and ebullient family man into a solemn, withdrawn, and angry loner in Kenneth Lonergan's ("Margaret") bittersweet drama Manchester by the Sea, one of the best films of 2016. Set in the picturesque city of Manchester on Massachusetts' north shore, cinematographer Jody Lee Lipes ("Martha Marcy May Marlene") captures the rugged beauty of the New England town with its bays filled with trawlers and its winter streets and municipal buildings covered in a shimmering white. It is a town that looks as if it has not changed in decades, or even centuries.

Lee Chandler, in a haunting performance by Casey Affleck ("Interstellar"), is a janitor/handyman who spends his days painting, doing minor plumbing work, repairing leaks, and so on or just giving advice while making sure to avoid any social interaction with the people he is working for. His nights are spent drinking alone in bars where he is quick to start fights or at home watching TV in his small apartment. There is no hint during the film's first half hour about what has brought him to his present state of disequilibrium, but in his mumbling inability to express his thoughts, we know that something unspoken is driving his need for isolation.

Lee has been living in nearby Quincy but, when his older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler, "Carol") succumbs to a heart attack, he has to return to Manchester to make funeral arrangements and attend the reading of the will and to confront the people that he has turned away from. His grief over his brother's death turns to shock, however, when he discovers that he has been named the legal guardian of Joe's 16-year-old son Patrick (Lucas Hedges, "The Grand Budapest Hotel"), a popular high school student. Since Patrick's mom Elise (Gretchen Mol, "Anesthesia") is an alcoholic who left town long ago, Lee is the only person who can assume the task.

It is one, however, that he does not feel ready for. Eventually, the seminal event that changed Lee's life forever is revealed, depicted in a straightforward manner without histrionics or pandering, even if the overused baroque music tends to amplify the drama beyond what is required. In flashback, we see that Lee was once a happy family man with a loving wife Randi (Michelle Williams, "Suite Française") and three young children and we see him joking around with his young nephew Patrick (Ben O'Brien) on their fishing boat. Assuming the responsibility of being a father-figure to Patrick, we glimpse the man that Lee used to be.

The dialogue between the abrasive Lee and the feisty, sharp-tongued Patrick feels real and without guile but channeling the chemistry they have together into rebuilding his life is a challenge. Manchester by the Sea is a serious film but is balanced by humor. In one such scene, Patrick awkwardly attempts to hide the obvious from his mom about studying in his room with his girlfriend. Another funny incident takes place when Lee is used as a cover for Patrick's surreptitious juggling of his two girlfriends. The issues between them take a more serious tone, however, when Lee is convinced that he and Patrick should move to Boston, a suggestion that Patrick rebels at, citing his high school girlfriends, his being on the soccer team, and his playing in the school band.

Though Michelle Williams has a small role, she turns in one of her best performances. In a powerful confrontation with Lee, it is clear that she still loves him but has felt compelled to suppress it in order to bury the past and move on. Manchester by the Sea belongs to Casey Affleck, however, who turns in what is arguably the best performance of his career. The film does not have the sort of neat resolution that you may have come to expect but what it does have are real people whose lives you want to be a part of and you know that that world is not one that can only happen in the movies, but a real experience of life fully lived in all its pain and all its joy.

and the Oscar for Best Actor goes to...

[bardia-moose · 9/10 · 16 September 2016]

After the sudden death of his older brother, Lee, played by Casey Affleck, is made legal guardian of his son Patrick. He then returns to his hometown and is forced to deal with a tragic past that separated him from his family and the community he was born and raised in.

Kenneth Lonergan is such an extraordinary and talented writer; his beautifully, and richly, textured drama draws upon the timeless themes of recovery, redemption, and the persistence of guilt in such a way that feels fresh. The emotion is never overbearing for the sake of being overbearing, rather it feels all too real, which is a credit to the writing as much as it is to the fantastic performances.

This is the 'Casey Affleck show' from beginning to end; you can just give him the 'Best Actor' Oscar right now and save everyone a whole lot of trouble. He radiates this aura of subtle magnetism so brilliantly and effortlessly; there's not a single emotion on the spectrum that goes unexploited.

As much as the film is about Lee and his internal journey from tragedy to something a lot more hopeful, it's also about his nephew, played by Lucas Hedges, who has a very bright future, and his personal struggle to cope with his father's death. Despite having a small yet significant part in the film, Michelle Williams' performance is a treasure to behold. There's one scene, in particular, where she got everyone in attendance wishing they brought a tissue.

Unlike many big-budget studio movies, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA is not afraid to make the audience work and test the viewer's patience with its constant, and unannounced, cutting between past and present, as well as its unwavering unravelling of character background and motivation. In fact, one of its best aspects is the lack of close-ups. Almost everything is filmed from afar, which reflects Lee's emotional distancing. And it's not until later where you finally find out why this guy has detached himself from the rest of the world. Then, from that point on, you're in his head; you watch the film unfold from a point-of-view almost entirely foreign to how you viewed it at first.

Regardless of the second half's slackening pace and film's familiar DNA, this is without a doubt the most personal and heart wrenching film of 2016 thus far. Maybe even the best.

Brilliant portrayal of a troubled soul

[mmoiyadi · 8/10 · 4 August 2017]

The best part about this movie is the emotional connection it establishes with the protagonist. You could actually feel for Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck in a truly Oscar worthy performance) when he tries to cope up with the tragedy that has destroyed him as a person. He is an emotionally distraught person yet he realizes the fact that he must continue to live, continue to take responsibility that he despises the most because of the tragedy that he has faced in his life, fighting his inner daemons to be a nice guardian to his nephew.

Lee is a janitor working in Boston when he gets to know about the sudden death of his brother due to heart attack in Manchester which is also the place where Lee belongs. As per his brother's will Lee has to be the guardian of his 16 year old son. Lee is much reluctant to accept this responsibility despite the fact that he loves his nephew very much. How he accept the responsibility and finally gives in to every wish of his nephew, which includes moving to Manchester, a place he so despises due to the personal tragedy he has suffered forms the crux of the story.

Initially it is hard to understand the erratic and reserved behavior of Lee considering his jovial nature from the pre-tragedy flashbacks but as soon as you get to know of the tragedy you completely change your thinking about Lee and your heart reaches out to him. The reason for this change is the way Lee is played by Casey Affleck. He makes the character his own and not once you feel like he is acting..no melodrama. Such a restrained performance yet conveying the frustration of the character beautifully to viewers is something not many actors can achieve. Full credits to him for such a brilliant portrayal.

We get to hear a lot of stories about someone's struggle to achieve his or her dream by facing all difficulties, hardships and those stories then becomes a source of inspiration to those having similar dreams but are yet to achieve the same. But what about those who have no dreams or rather have lost the ability to dream, those whose past haunts them so much that a dream has no meaning in their life. All they have are nightmares. Clearly such stories does not inspire them. Then what is it that keeps them going? What are their struggles? Even if they hope to be caring to their loved ones, even if they live and survive for their well being, they must fight the past and it is this struggle which makes for a compelling viewing. These stories should also be a source of inspiration to those depressed souls with similar traumatic pasts and that is what this movie does brilliantly. In a way this movie reminded me of 'The pursuit of happiness' in terms of a man's struggle to survive and care for one's loved ones. But in this case it is not the outside world they are fighting but the world inside them.

Didn't love it but appreciated it

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 21 May 2017]

Being familiar with director Kenneth Lonergan's previous work, one knew what to expect from his chosen themes and his style. 'Manchester By the Sea' has Lonergan written all over it, and while it was not a "love" film it was an "appreciate" one.

It is an uneven film and understandably polarising (people will love the acting, inspired use of music and the mix of humour and pathos but others will find it overlong, slow and rambling), with a first half that will alienate some. There are many things that impress, especially the acting which is what drives 'Manchester By the Sea'. This said, even if my reaction to 'Manchester By the Sea' was less (like it wasn't for me or intensely disliking it, I would have no problem with anybody saying they liked it, not the sort of person who condescends and shows a lack of maturity and respect to other people's opinions (one of my bugbears on IMDb).

Getting on to my hopefully balanced review of 'Manchester By the Sea', pointing out its flaws and merits, as said it is easy to see why 'Manchester By the Sea' is not for everybody. It is perhaps longer than necessary, some of the first half did tend to ramble and could have done with a trimming. In fact, the first half generally wasn't as interesting as the rest of the film, and likely to put people off watching any further. It did tend to be dull and meandering, the mix from flashback to present day not always clear and didn't always go anywhere. It was when the tragedy came in and the relationship between Lee and Patrick when 'Manchester By the Sea' becomes more worthwhile if stuck with.

After this point, 'Manchester By the Sea's' only faults are a few contrived moments (like the freezer scene and the at times excessive and out of place F bombs) and an ending that falls on the abrupt side.

However, 'Manchester By the Sea' has suitably picturesque scenery and is shot with a lot of atmosphere. Lonergan directs with a lot of thoughtfulness and restraint and much of the script has a good balance of humour (with some genuine belly laughs with Lee and Patrick) and pathos (the fire and funeral scenes will have one reaching for the tissues). The show-down between Lee and Randi is beautifully played and electric.

'Manchester By the Sea's' best asset is by far the acting. Lucas Hedges makes a compellingly real character out of one that could easily have been annoying, and while Michelle Williams is underused she also gives a remarkably moving performance. Kyle Chandler also impresses. 'Manchester By the Sea' is Casey Affleck's film though, Affleck is on blistering form and has rarely been better in his tough-talking and also introverted role.

Also want to mention the music, giving much intensity and poignancy to the drama with inspired use of pre-existing music. Albinoni has never been more affectingly utilised on film, his "Adagio" can be one of those over-exposed pieces of music but here added so much to the drama's emotion that it was truly beautiful and haunting. Another effective use of music was "He Shall Feed His Flock...Come Onto Him", the alto and soprano duet from Handel's 'Messiah'.

In summary, slow start but sticking with it 'Manchester By the Sea' rewards. Didn't love it, but there was enough to make it appreciate it. 7/10 Bethany Cox

It's a very engaging, character driven story, it's good.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 8/10 · 23 January 2021]

Lee Chandler is made to take on his nephew after his brother dies an untimely death, Lee is incredibly depressed and affected by his past.

As the film develops, so does the relationship between Lee and Patrick, we learn why Lee is the way he is, and the events that helped to shape him, and make him such a complex figure.

I haven't seen a film like this for some time, it's purely melodrama, but to it's credit, it's very good. Take a tip from Me, if you're in a mood, or feeling down, do not watch this, it will compound your low spirits. If you're up for an engaging, moving two hours on intense character play, you'll find this very good.

I had absolutely no idea just how good an actor Casey Affleck is, and that's my own fault, he is absolutely tremendous throughout, he makes Lee a truly interesting guy.

The music is a real hindrance here, it detracts from the film, it isn't bad, it's just wrong for the film. Adagio in G Minor, it's a glorious piece of music, but it is so out of place, it jars uncomfortably at a key point.

It takes a little time to warm up, and for you to engage, when it does, it's an excellent film, 8/10.

It's good but why all the..

[beglenrice · 6/10 · 19 December 2016]

This is written for people who have already seen the film. Holding the audience captive in suspense as to what is the dark beyond in the main character's life does nothing. It slows down the movie and makes it tedious. When writers contrive these flashback-to-present scenes, it has to have a big payoff, or what's the point? In general, telling this story mostly chronologically would have served the pacing and sense of the film much better. After an hour or so into the film we finally know 'what happened' and finally we can really just watch the movie. The movie is about how a guy recovers from a tragedy by facing the prospect of becoming his nephew's guardian. But you don't get to be in on that until it's almost too late. It's stupid. The relationship between the uncle and nephew does turn out to be quite interesting and worth watching once you get there. Before then it's a conceptual writer's device to jump back and forth in time to somehow make the movie more suspenseful or something. Once the tragedy is revealed the movie becomes much more cohesive and for me, a pleasure to watch. Overall I think it is good, it's just perplexing as to why writers go to such great lengths to invent concepts that don't serve to tell the story well. Being artistic is mistaken for contriving conception. Oh well. It's still pretty good, with solid acting compensating for writer/director ego.

A masterpiece of family angst

[bob-the-movie-man · 10/10 · 26 January 2017]

Wow! I'd heard all about the Oscar hype surrounding this film but to be honest, while I thought I would be seeing a solid and well-made indie film, I went into it without great expectations of having an 'enjoyable' time: the trailer had "angst" written all over it. And – sure – it is emotional and harrowing in places. However, I was completely knocked out by the depth, the intelligence and the humour of this masterpiece.

'Family troubles' is a common trope for the movies, and I was strongly reminded at times in watching this movie of a multi-Oscar winning classic of my youth: Robert Redford's "Ordinary People" back in 1980. In that film the relationship between parents (Mary Tyler-Moore and Donald Sutherland) and their teenage son (Timothy Hutton) is rocked by the accidental death of another family member. Similarly, in "Manchester by the Sea" a drifting handyman Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck, "Triple 9", "Interstellar") gets the shocking news that his only brother Joe (Kyle Chandler, "The Wolf of Wall Street") has suddenly passed away, leaving behind a mid-teens son Patrick (Lucas Hedges) with no-one to look after him.

With the other option being an unstable and ex-alcoholic mother Elise (Gretchen Mol) – now divorced and living in a strictly pious household with new husband Jeffrey (Matthew Broderick) – Joe has legally plumped for naming Lee as the boy's guardian. This is much to Lee's surprise and annoyance. For Lee is a man-adrift: an antisocial loner with a very short fuse. Having any sort of responsibility is not in his game plan.

With the ground too frozen to bury his brother, Lee is forced to remain in Manchester-by-the-Sea for a few weeks: a town he can't stand and a town that, for some reason, can't stand him. Can Lee's attitude be softened by his lively and over-sexed nephew? Or will he just continue his emotional and social decline towards a gutter and a brown-bag? Where this film surprises – with a strong kick to the gut – is that while I have described the high-level story in the paragraphs above that the trailer depicts, there is a whole other dimension to the tale that is hidden and truly astonishing. No spoilers, but if you are not shocked and moved by it, then you need your humanity chip reset.

Casey Affleck is Oscar-nominated now for Best Actor and I would love to see him win for this. I had a real go at his brother, Ben, for a lack of facial variation in his performance in "Live By Night". Here, while Casey has a similar dour and pretty rigid demeanour, his performance is chalk-and-cheese compared to Ben. He channels a shut-down rage in his eyes that is both haunting and disturbing in equal measure.

Young Lucas Hedges – overlooked by the BAFTAs (he is in the "Rising Star" category) but yesterday nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar – is equally strong, burying his teenage grief in guitars, sex and smart phones in a highly believable way.

Supporting roles are equally strong, with Michelle Williams – albeit only having limited screen time – delivering truly memorable scenes, notably the street encounter with Lee (as featured on the poster) which is electrifying. She is also Oscar nominated for the role.

What really makes these performances shine is the elegant directing by Kenneth Lonergan, better known for his screenplays on films like "Analyze This" and "Gangs of New York". He gives the actors time… lots of time. A typical example is when young Patrick walks into Lee's bedroom and stares at some photos on his bedside table before walking on. It must be a good 20 to 30 seconds used, but time really well spent. The film spectacularly uses flash-backs to great effect, with the only visual notification that you are in a different time-zone being the living and breathing appearance of Joe in the shot.

Lonergan also writes the screenplay, and I mentioned in my introduction the humour used. There are some outright belly laughs in this film, which feels incongruous with the morbid subject matter but which also feels guiltily appropriate (we've all surely had an experience where a tense funeral mood is lightened by an uncle loudly farting at the back of the church, or similar!).

Manchester-by-the-Sea is a picturesque place in Massachusetts, and the camera work by Jody Lee Lipes ("Martha Marcy May Marlene", "Trainwreck") lovingly makes use of that. There is incredibly crisp focus, with the opening boat scene looks like it is hyper-HD.

This is a truly stunning film, and one that will live with me for many years to come. For that reason it receives my highest accolade together with my best wishes for success at the forthcoming Oscars. If you haven't yet, go see it.

(For the graphical version of this review please visit bob-the-movie-man.com or search for One Mann's Movies on Facebook.)

ok, but long, and unfulfilling

[nikon12 · 6/10 · 10 March 2022]

Great scenery, decent acting, but not very likable characters and nothing close to a resolution at the end.

Would've worked better if they'd come up with a better ending, not necessarily resolving everything, but some sort of character growth might've been nice. I mean, after everything, Lee is still broken, and no closer to coming to terms with things.

And Patrick is a bit of jerk. Yeah, I feel for him losing his dad, but he just seems like a spoiled, entitled, and self-centered brat throughout the movie.

Maybe a bit of cutting down on those long drawn out pauses and scenes with just Lee staring into space, would've helped too.

Affleck's acting is excellent but screenplay is half-baked

[kvmarcin · 5/10 · 18 December 2016]

I've very much enjoyed other Kenneth Lonergan films, and I've admired Casey Affleck's acting gifts for a long time. Because of the rave reviews, I was looking forward to seeing this. Unfortunately, the film went into production with a half-baked script. It probably needed another 5-6 rewrites to make the characterization more layered, develop the subplots more, and get to the pith of the central conflict, which was extremely weak.

The story didn't really get off the ground until the last third of the film. It's a testament to Affleck's acting, not the story, that the film managed to sustain my interest. The only thing I'll say about the music is that the classical music was used in a very ham-handed fashion to manipulate the audience's emotion.

Affleck plays a character named Lee, who has suffered a tragedy from which he can't recover. He does his best with an taciturn, undeveloped character whose aims are vague and is so caught in depression and grief that he displays little outward emotional expression. The other major character is Patrick, a teenage boy whose father, Affleck's brother, has died suddenly.

One of the big wrongs in the screenplay is that we don't get any sense that Patrick is grieving or even in shock about his father's death until a contrived scene later in the movie about a refrigerator that is a weak, unconvincing attempt to show Patrick has feelings about his father.

The relationship between Lee and Patrick is meandering and with mild conflict here and there. It's supposed to be the spine of the movie, but it's so flaccid that the film often lacks focus.

I think this movie has something to say, but it's not fully articulated, because the film was shot before the script was fully ready for production.

A heavy story of two wounded souls

[Gordon-11 · 25 January 2017]

This film tells the story of a man lost his children in the past. His brother died due to a heart condition. Without prior consultation, his brother tasked him with being the legal guardian of the 16 year old cousin.

"Manchester by the Sea" tells how two people struggle to come to terms with both the unfortunate past and the undesirable present. They are both unable to express the feelings, bottling everything up as if nothing has happened. They avoid connection with most of the people around them, even if others try. Their circumstances screams for sympathy. Initially the film is a little hard to understand because it jumps around between different time points. After clarifying the time points up, I find the story compelling, especially the two scenes (one with Casey Affleck and the other with Michelle Williams) that command tears to fall. It is a heavy story of two people trying to get by in spite of life's challenges.

Tragic, Depressing, with no Redemption

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 26 February 2017]

In Quincy, the quiet and ruthless janitor and handyman Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is summoned by George (C.J. Wilson), who is a family friend, to go to Manchester since his older brother Joe Chandler (Kyle Chandler) has had a heart attack and is in a hospital. When Lee arrives, Joe has just died and Lee makes arrangements for the funeral with George. Then he seeks out his sixteen year-old nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges) at the hockey training to tell the news. They go to the morgue and then they head to Joe's lawyer to learn his will. Lee is surprised that Joe has assigned him to be Patrick's guardian. He is reluctant and neither wants to stay in Manchester nor deliver his nephew to his alcoholic mother Elise (Gretchen Mol) and decides to bring Patrick with him to Quincy. However the teenager does not want to leave his life in the town. While planning Joe's burial and funeral, Lee is haunted by his past in Manchester, where he happily lived with his wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and three children until the day a tragedy happened with his family. What will be his final decision?

"Manchester by the Sea" is a realistic film with a tragic and depressing story and no redemption for the lead character. The plot is well resolved for his beloved nephew Patrick but never to Lee, who does not forgive himself for what happened to his family due to his negligence. The direction, screenplay using flashback to explain Lee's behavior and performances are top-notch. Many viewers would expect a more optimistic and happier conclusion but the author chose only a better improvement in the lead character's attitude toward life and this might be the reason of great number of bad reviews. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Manchester À Beira-Mar" ("Manchester by the Sea")

See It for Affleck!

[Bob-562 · 9/10 · 6 January 2017]

In spite of a most annoying & pretentious score, this was a very moving film--actually a mouth-gaping appreciation of Casey Affleck. He carries the film, along with the actor playing his brother, Michelle Williams, & his nephew. Some scenes early on seem to plod on, and the pivotal scene of Affleck's past (that will forever haunt him) is reconstructed by voice-over rather than __seeing__ the evidence, which becomes a little disconcerting, considering how important it is. I was really impressed by Affleck's character, who seemed incapable of enjoying anything in his life. His alcoholism is palpable, as well as his violence, but he plays a wholly realized character--infinitely better than he did in "Gone Baby Gone." I hope he wins an Oscar for this role: I've never seen him better. And Michelle Williams is wonderful, especially in a near-conclusion confrontation with Affleck: that alone is Oscar-worthy. It's beautifully shot in the actual Manchester-by-the-Sea, and it's definitely worth seeing.

Beautifully melancholic

[rowanuk · 10/10 · 7 January 2017]

These type of films don't come around that often, and for good reason. It takes focus and effort to come up with stories and themes that touch deeper than the usual Hollywood dirge. The story-line is completely unpredictable , unlike 95% of the films out there.

What is most intriguing about M B T S , is the way in which highly depressing themes are kept in check with humour, intelligent scripting and a subtle feel good factor, which seems to creep in at exactly the right time. The overall feel is also kept balanced by the intricacies of the relationships between various characters. Affleck has taken his game to the next level , his character and mannerisms are completely believable -he is submerged into type.

As a couple of mid 40 somethings, we grew tired of the typical film genres some years ago. We long for films like this, and having seen many of the nominated films for this year (bafta), this one is by far the clear leader. Hacksaw ridge is just another glorification of war, predictable, overly violent and boring, silence is good OK but not special and the list goes on. Manchester by the sea deserves recognition for standing out in a sea of mediocrity

Lonergan's beautifully understated writing, and Affleck's stunning performance, create a powerhouse picture that will surely sweep awards

[neverever121 · 10/10 · 10 October 2016]

I was very pleased to snag a last minute returned, lone available ticket to the European premiere of this on Saturday as I'd heard a lot of great things about this film and it had been sold out.

The premise is simple: when his brother Joe dies, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is forced to take care of his teenage nephew in his hometown, from which he moved away years earlier to escape his demons from a trauma years earlier.

It becomes clear early on that Lee had life figured out years earlier. The film jumps between the past and the present, revealing a time where Lee was married, spent a lot of time with his friends and family (especially his brother and his nephew) and was content with life. But while jumping between the two periods of time, the film travels along at a slow, tense pace, tentatively revealing facets of Lee's past and present personalities (which are remarkably different) before hitting the audience with the full force of what exactly what made him run from his hometown.

Casey Affleck is astonishingly good and it's no wonder that there is a strong early buzz around his performance. He essentially plays two different characters, a man before trauma and a man after. The 'before' in flashbacks is fairly simple, a relatively friendly and happy-go-lucky guy who spends a lot of time with his friends and family, has a close relationship with his nephew, etc. But where he excels is in the quiet desperation of the present-day Lee Chandler. With this character there are only rare moments of outward emotion - but Affleck plays it so that it is painfully clear just how much hurt Lee is keeping inside. Best Actor Oscar nomination, and highly possible win, incoming.

Despite the serious subject matter, there is a surprising warmth that permeates the film. This is a film primarily about a man forced to confront his demons, yes, but it is also a film about family and the ties that bind us to our hometown. There is a terrific chemistry between Affleck's Lee and Lucas Hedges, who plays his nephew Patrick. Make no mistake, despite its subject matter this film is often hilarious, with the dialogue between Lee and his nephew providing most of the frequent outbursts of laughter in the cinema. Owing to his detachment and fear, Lee is fairly useless as a caregiver to Patrick, who in turn pushes his limits in being allowed to do whatever he wants (mostly chasing girls - there are particularly hilarious scenes when he is trying to get laid).

Affleck's Lee is also forced to confront his demons in the form of his now ex-wife Randi, played by the ever-brilliant Michelle Williams. It's actually a relatively small part, but a key one, with an especially important scene that is played beautifully by both Affleck and Williams. In the Q&A that took place before the film, Williams talked about how she had spent 15 years wanting to work with 'Kenny' Lonergan, the director, as he is such a beautiful writer, and so she jumped at the chance before she'd even really heard detail about the part.

And it's clear to see why she would be so desperate to work with Kenneth Lonergan, whose writing and directing for this film is gentle, warm and heartbreaking in one package. It's bleak, but hints at hope. It's understated, but breaks out in small moments of agony without overdoing it (the middle of the film is particularly gut-wrenching). I would be very surprised not to see nominations in his direction also.

Beautiful writing and directing from Kenneth Lonergan, and a stunning performance from Casey Affleck in particular. It's a beautiful, quiet picture encapsulating trauma, guilt, redemption and familial bonds.

Mesmerized

[Prabhuraj · 7/10 · 25 December 2018]

GREAT ! One of the best films ever. Phenomenal charactarisation and acting especially from Casey Affleck. I was mesmerized by this film. I felt like I was reading a novel, there was so much to contemplate and digest. I did not know what to expect or where the plot would lead. Captured the complexity of life and tragedy in a masterful way. Excellent.

The Most Real Film of the Year

[trevor-82944 · 9/10 · 2 December 2016]

A man and a boy, one an uncle, one a nephew, are engaged in an intimate fishing lesson off the lake on Manchester, Connecticut. This melodic view takes us from here through the uncle's cold spiritual journey of knowing his place amidst the chaos of death.

Manchester by the Sea is written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan (Gangs of New York), whose hard work shows in how deep he is willing to dive into the darkest corners of everyone we meet throughout his record of memories. The lonely, depressed, recently divorced plumber we are invited to connect with has a lot coming at him; having lost his brother to cardiac arrest, and now left to be the only one left to take in custody of his now fatherless nephew.

From watching the heartbreaking flashbacks that depict the uncertainty of the plumber's path, to the humbling, somber performance by Casey Affleck (no tears necessary), all audiences suited for the well- earned R-rating will be greatly moved by its rough depiction of an everyday story within an everyday life.

What makes the chilling power of this deceptively simple story so powerful is the consistently cold feel that Lonergan maintains from start to finish. Being set in the northeast, snow appears all over to reflect the plumber's state of mind, and the cold is felt all the greater depending on the amount of stress tugging between him and his blood relatives. The screen's empty starkness takes its time to linger on the quietest of moments, screaming the loudest of internal noises without saying a word.

Manchester by the Sea could have easily taken place anywhere in the world, not necessarily in one particular small town in one particular part of the nation. What makes the Boston-Manchester setting work to its advantage is its subtle handling of the culture, right down to the look, feel, and taste of the area. The much-needed emphasis on father and son bonding through the quietness of fishing bookends the film with the one single image that defines everything valued by the people who live there. Also similar to last year's big Oscar-winner Spotlight, there is a clear presence of Catholicism guiding the lives of all Bostonians, whether or not they consider themselves religious. They claim that all Catholics are Christian, which is not entirely true, nor is it said so in the feature, but it works to the advantage of making the sense of hope they seek after touch much closer to home.

There are plenty of independent features out there that tackle the discomforting subject of family death and custody, but none of them handle it with the same level of detail, humanity, and personal application as Manchester by the Sea. It's not the feel-good holiday treat you may be looking for at this time of the year, but considering how family and tragedy essentially go hand-in-hand, Lonergan's scholarly study on the personal crisis will help countless others in what to do about a similar trauma.

Hence, I encourage all to see this masterful, humbling work when they get the chance to, but not just with anyone, with the relatives they are the closest to. That way, you can walk out of the theater together sharing the tears of your worst and best memories. If more movies had the power to do that, then Hollywood would at last be restored to its former glory.

By the Sea

[sol- · 6/10 · 11 August 2017]

Placed in charge of his teen nephew after his brother passes away, a morose handyman confronts inner demons and reevaluates his life in this downbeat drama starring Casey Affleck. The film gets off to a solid start as we witness Affleck's humdrum existence and the moody residents who he has to deal with. As the film progresses though, it adopts a stream of consciousness narrative style, flipping back and forth between Affleck's memories and the present day as he processes his brother's death and his new role in his nephew's life. This provides an emotional wallop at one point as we discover just what happened to his doting daughters, but generally speaking, the flipping back and forth in time is unhelpful, subtracting from the immediacy of the drama unfolding. The film also grows repetitive as the same issues are debated between uncle and nephew time and time again. There are some really good touches late in the piece though (Affleck imaging his daughters; a confrontation with Michelle Williams) and the entire project is shot with thought and consideration; the way Affleck is only ever visible in the background when we first see the grown-up nephew at an ice rink works very well. Still, it is hard not to expect a little more from an Oscar winning film and though solid a movie as it is, it would be interesting to see the film play out in chronological order instead.

An Elegiac, Deeply Moving Film About Broken People

[evanston_dad · 9/10 · 30 November 2016]

Some people find a way to pick themselves up from the rubble of a personal tragedy and rebuild a life for themselves. Others are permanently broken, and they die in spirit if not in body.

"Manchester by the Sea," Kenneth Lonergan's elegiac and deeply heartfelt new film, contains characters who are representative of both of the above responses. The tragedy befalls the characters portrayed by Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, and the film follows Affleck's character as he unexpectedly becomes guardian of his nephew while trying to exorcise his own personal demons. I've liked Casey Affleck in some things and very much disliked him in others, but here he gives a galvanic performance, one quiet but sustained howl of anguish, that's easily one of the best of the year. Williams gets a much smaller role, but she makes a huge impression, and one scene in particular between her and Affleck in the later half of the movie would justify Oscars for both actors all by itself.

Lonergan's screenplay doesn't make a false move. This film is largely about inarticulate people trying to process extremely complicated emotions, and they remain inarticulate -- they don't suddenly express their feelings in nicely phrased speeches in order to bring the film to tidy resolutions. The movie's final point, that broken people sometimes just stay broken no matter how badly others want them to have a happy ending, is certainly not uplifting, but there's something refreshing about how bracingly honest it is.

Grade: A

A spiritual experience that is one of the great movies of the 21st Century

[artmania90 · 7/10 · 16 January 2017]

One of my all-time favorite movie scenes is in 1980's "Ordinary People." The story follows Conrad, a high school student who is dealing with the sudden death of his brother and living with two parents who have no idea how to cope. Behind a picturesque middle-class facade, things are slowly unraveling. The final moments of the film, after we learn that Conrad's parents have decided to separate, shows him and his father in a quiet and cold backyard. Even though these two have rarely seen eye-to-eye, and in a conclusion where everything seems hopeless, Conrad simply tells his father "I love you," and in response his father breaks down and says the same. I think the reason I love this scene so much is because it offers a movie so full of darkness the slightest suggestion of hope. It suggests that the love of family is still stronger and cannot be overcome.

I only mention this scene and "Ordinary People" in particular because almost 40 years later here is a movie that is a spiritual equal. "Manchester By The Sea" is a massive undertaking that deals with loss in such an intimate way that it would be hard to call it anything but profound. There is something entirely universal everyone can grasp and yet watching this movie feels like a peek into a very real life of a family.

Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is a man whose life is stagnant. He works as a handyman in a series of apartment buildings, fixing leaking pipes and whatnot. He lives in a basement studio apartment that is sparsely decorated and lifeless. He drinks by himself, and he is rude to those around him. In the first half of this film, Lee is not a character we understand or even like. In fact, he is oftentimes despicable. He gets into bar fights and swears at women. When he takes a phone call to learn of his brother's sudden death, he calmly says he will get there within the hour.

Manchester-by-the-Sea (the town's actual name) is where Lee seemingly grew up, raised a family, as evidence by many flashbacks that pepper the film with glimpses into his memory. We recall the moment when his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) was first diagnosed with congenital heart disease, or when he took his nephew Patrick on a fishing boat. Now in the present time, Patrick is a high school student with no mother and only Lee as his seeming guardian.

The movie becomes an evaluation of the stages of grief and we focus on the relationship between uncle and nephew. Lee, who remains shut off from the community, and Patrick, who invites friends over for pizza and stories on the very day his father died. No one is to say which way is the preferred method for mourning, and of course the emotions begin a series of highs and lows as the two men begin the process of moving on with life. Lee, who is adamant about living in Boston, faces pushback from Patrick who is adamant about finishing high school in Manchester among friends. Here, he has a boat, friends, a band, and two girlfriends (I know). In Boston, all Lee has is a sad apartment. There's no arguing there.

What is surprising about the film (where can I start) is the stark humor that comes amidst moments of such melancholy. This is easily a story that could have sunk into our hearts and left us feeling cold, but there is a joy that comes from the way these characters talk to each other and interact. There is an established history that is evidence in the writing. What else is mesmerizing is a score that incorporates classical pieces as opposed to an original soundtrack. There is something so powerful about the contrast between the New England setting and such complex music. Maybe more impressive still is the tight structure of the script, which weaves back and forth through time and gives us such a sense of depth and backstory. Kenneth Lonergan (the director and screenwriter) has surely written the favorite for an Oscar nomination.

Casey Affleck, an actor of considerable talent, seems to have finally become his own person outside the shadow of his brother. His performance is quite simply jaw-dropping. Closed in and reclusive and yet with hints of a broken heart, there are glances and gestures that are so nuanced that you can't help but think that this could be the best performance of the year. As with Michelle Williams playing his wife, this could very easily be her best role to date. Her brief screen time in all but 4 or 5 scenes encompasses the themes of the film and reveal the deeper heartbreak just below the surface of their relationship. The same can be said of Lucas Hedges playing Patrick, a young actor full of promise and grace.

There were several scenes when I found myself genuinely moved, mouth agape at how honest this movie actually was. When Patrick finally comes to term with his father's loss while looking for a snack... When Lee and his wife exchange a hug at the funeral and a surge of emotion sweeps through both of them... A scene where Lee picks up a gun... These are candid moments that are so real, so perfect, I can't help but think that "Manchester by the Sea" is the year's best film.

It didn't work for me

[areinhol · 5/10 · 6 January 2017]

Our hero is an angry man who can't seem to hold it together. Through a series of flashbacks we learn why: a great tragedy has traumatized him. But this is not just any tragedy, I can't think of anything worse that could happen to someone. Oedipus Rex plucks out his eyes with less cause.

So there is plenty of motivation for him becoming an angry loner, but his past could motivate any dramatic outcome, celibate monk, mass murderer, iconoclastic artist, CIA assassin, raving lunatic. Call a suicide prevention hot line with his backstory and they might direct you to a right-to-die website.

Psychotherapy is apparently never an option in the townie macho culture the film depicts; the local police have a very strong reason to get him counseling, but there is no indication they ever do. Self-medication with alcohol is the only succor he gets.

OK, so I understand why our hero is angry, but why are most of the other characters attempting a Boston accent so touchy? The accent-free characters in the film never get upset.

Despite the portentous music, the film's front story is not so tragic. (A different score could turn this glass-half-empty downer into a half-full feel-good charmer. Some film school should do the experiment.) Our hero realizes his limitations and makes some reasonable choices. The brilliantly acted and Oscar-headed moment when his ex-wife tries to help made me wonder just how she managed to get over it so well.

An inability to control his fists is our hero's one shortcoming. Watching a seething Casey Affleck staring out his late brother's bedroom window, my immediate reaction was at least he isn't punching his fist through the glass, and then, a second later, he does. No angry-male stereotypes were harmed in the making of this movie.

My takeaway? Check your smoke detectors regularly.