Manchester By The Sea Review

R: Language Throughout and Some Sexual Content

Amazon Studios, Roadside Attractions, K Period Media, B Story, Pearl Street Films

2 Hrs and 17 Minutes

Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Gretchen Mol, Lucas Hedges, Tate Donovan 

REVIEW: It's funny to see the Afflecks in roles of guys in occupations you don't see in film. The Accountant we had an autistic Ben and this we have Casey as a Supper. You have been hearing for the longest, that this film is one of the best this year and unfortunately I’m here to confirm that it is. For this being the third Amazon Studios film, it’s weird to say that Amazon can actually produce some great film content and with this arguably more so than Netflix.

After the sudden death of Joe Chandler (Kyle Chandler), his younger brother Lee (Casey Affleck) is made legal guardian of Joe's son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Lee returns to his hometown and has to deal with Randi (Michelle Williams), his former wife, and the local community that remembers why he left.

THE GOOD: What Manchester By the Sea accomplishes arguably more so than the large variety of films this year is the three-dimensional depth of character who is not one to completely root for. We had snippets of tragic characters in several films this year, but Kenneth Lonergan’s film perfectly mixes the joys and tragedy of life. The film switches back and forth of Lee'a past and present of his days of joy with his family before everything crashed down. The film sets flashbacks as numerous as the  Rick and Morty episode Total Rickall.  It may be in there a lot, but it is completely relevant to the story and Lee's character. We learn more and more about him as the film progresses. It is light-hearted and sweet to see the scenes of the past that when it comes back to present it's depressing as hell. Whatever smirk you had in the flashback, quickly diminishes faster than Cumberbatch’s Sherlock frown.

The film goes as a game of clue where you try to figure out why Lee is the way he is. The beginning of the film you see him take crap from people until he snaps which is in fact pretty quickly and starting fights with people. Then as he has to go back to his hometown, people refer to Lee Chandler as the Lee Chandler like he's a legend. It's an ongoing guessing game that as the more humorous each set up is, the more tragic the tone of the film becomes. It comes to that point where the film shakes you in it's ultimate sadness that you cannot escape from even with the consistent inclusion of humor.

The film's charm centers solely on the disconnection between Lee and his nephew Patrick as they are forced to bond especially when he's given this huge bombshell where he has to give up everything to raise this teenager. By the third act when you see the resolution for the situation you are caught off guard but appreciate the human honesty of flawed characteristics that you rarely see in cinemas. There is no cookie cutter ending, but just one that states that life will go on whether you like it or not.

Casey Affleck hands down give the best performance I’ve seen this year. There are several films that had me shedding tears, but Affleck’s performance made me cry out a river. And honestly its 50% him hand 50% Lonergan’s screenplay that made the tear ducts come out 100%. Once it is revealed why he is so socially inept with everyone in his backstory you start to well up. Once it gets emotional, it hits so hard that it becomes a one-two punch to the gut. When you cry for Lee it isn’t when he’s crying or Michelle Williams is crying but when he’s just interacting with someone while being himself. By the end, you just want to hug the poor man.

Lucas Hedges gives a stellar breakthrough performance that will not only get him on the map but also land him some Best Supporting Actor nominations. The only times Affleck’s character breathes a bit of life is when he’s with Hedges’. He challenges Affleck and his parenting skills and calls him out on it. He is also the note by note representation of the American teenager but he’sactually relatable to a point he doesn’t come off unlikable and annoying. He has his breaking moments and it is relatable to anyone who has been seventeen more than Hailee Steinfeld in The Edge of Seventeen.

Michelle Williams is not onscreen for a long duration of time, but when she is there she takes her wand from Oz and casts you a spell to cry. There is ONE scene (that you even see in the trailer) that makes your stomach churn and elevate your level of depression. It is that ONE scene that makes you think, “ladies and gentlemen your future Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress, Michelle Williams.” She is that exceptional mainly for that ONE scene.

I barely pay attention to film score in films but, Lesley Barber’s score is part of the driving force for the film itself. Barber provides a violin classical score that strengthens the emotion without feeling as if you're manipulated. It truly works in very silent sequences especially one in particular that is tragic in Lee's back story.

THE BAD: Two hours and seventeen minutes. The film overstays its welcome by the second sequence of an ongoing gag of Patrick attempts to have sex one of his two girlfriends at her house. It is a scene straight out of an American Pie film and it drags long where it just feels as if it pad out the movie’s length. It is a funny sequence at first but when it comes back again, it just feels as if it was an extended version of the first sequence. 

LAST STATEMENT: Tragically depressing yet profound in its level of character, Kenneth Lonergan’s Manchester By the Sea is a powerhouse of a film with a star turning performance by Casey Affleck.

Rating: 4.5/5 | 94%

Super Scene: The second bar brawl and it’s aftermath