REVIEW: MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
If I'm not in college, I'm home, and if I'm home, I try to at least watch a movie a day. I definitely have some OCD tendencies, and one of them is keeping track of how many movies I've seen in my life. Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea was #1332. I'm giving you all these facts to point to the reality that I watch many a movie a year, and they don't always stick with me the next day. Not that I forget about them, but sometimes they're just okay, and then it's on to the next one. Last year, I had images of George Miller's Fury Road burnt into my brain, and this year, I'm very pleased to say two films have been playing in my mind's theater over and over; Barry Jenkins's Moonlight, and now, number thirteen-hundred thirty-two, what will be a tough competitor for my favorite film of 2016, Manchester by the Sea.
Casey Affleck stars, and I can't emphasize stars enough, as Massachusetts handyman Lee, going through the motions in the town of Quincy. He learns of the death of his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) and goes to inform his nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges) of his dad's tragedy. When Lee goes to look at Joe's will, he discovers his brother cited him as Patrick's guardian in the event of his death. With a burdensome past constantly pressuring the weight of his shoulders, the movie examines Lee's journey with Patrick, going back and forth of whether or not to be his guardian.
You probably think you know how this story goes. In Hollywood's hands, the brother would maybe die in a car accident, Lee would give Patrick some advice, they'd fuss, they'd fight, but Lee would agree to be his guardian in the end, and all would be wrapped in a Christmas. This movie is far from Hollywood. There is a bleakness that runs through Manchester by the Sea, which is not manufactured melancholy, but more an exposure of the mundane griefs real life punctures our days with. Instead of portraying a grief zombie, Affleck rather plays a shell of a man, someone going through the motions while occasionally you still see the little flicker in him fighting for hope. After seeing him lead Gone Baby Gone and nail supporting turns in Out of the Furnace and Tower Heist, it was a pleasure getting to watch Mr. Affleck carry this film, though his performance will leave a dent in your heart.
I suppose why this and Moonlight are comparable in how they've left an impression on me is how genuine they both feel. Characters interrupt each other, stutter, curse; there isn't an ounce of Tinsel Town glamour to be seen. And yet with these inclusions there is no fat to be trimmed; you get a true feel that Lonergan and editor Jennifer Lame structured the back and forth narrative exactly how this particular story should have unfolded. It makes the engagement of the viewer putting everything together so rewarding.
Michelle Williams plays Randi, Lee's ex-wife, and while she is heartfelt and heartbreaking in equal parts, she certainly doesn't have the co-lead status the posters imply. She's probably onscreen for 20 minutes. Hedges more properly earns that title. His Bostonian nature and onslaught of 16 year old hormones make Patrick a layered, relatable character, and he begs the question: how does one respond when their father dies in the middle of their formative years? Hedges is a true talent, but please sir, don't let the studios steal you for another Hunger Games ripoff franchise. Keep your nose to the indie grindstone.
Finally, Manchester by the Sea achieves the golden standard of what any great movie should feature: the treacherously difficult act of balancing heavy drama with really sharp moments of humor. You know that old movie review cliche of "You'll laugh, you'll cry!"? I actually did that in one scene where Lee attempts to comfort his nephew. Manchester is never ha-ha funny, but to combat sadness you have to laugh, and Lonergan wisely uses it so his audience doesn't need Prozac with their popcorn.
My only complaints are nitpicks; if you think Williams doesn't get enough screen time, wait 'til you see the cameo a certain celebrity receives late in the film. The script is air-tight, the performances generous in their humanity, the movie tearjerking in the most natural way. Because while the film takes you to the absolute brink of heartache, you still leave with a weathered grin on your face, that there is hope for broken men like Lee Chandler. Manchester by the Sea hit every qualifier I would want in a movie of the year, so don't be surprised nine days later if you come back to this blog and see just that.
Rating: 4/4 stars
Casey Affleck stars, and I can't emphasize stars enough, as Massachusetts handyman Lee, going through the motions in the town of Quincy. He learns of the death of his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) and goes to inform his nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges) of his dad's tragedy. When Lee goes to look at Joe's will, he discovers his brother cited him as Patrick's guardian in the event of his death. With a burdensome past constantly pressuring the weight of his shoulders, the movie examines Lee's journey with Patrick, going back and forth of whether or not to be his guardian.You probably think you know how this story goes. In Hollywood's hands, the brother would maybe die in a car accident, Lee would give Patrick some advice, they'd fuss, they'd fight, but Lee would agree to be his guardian in the end, and all would be wrapped in a Christmas. This movie is far from Hollywood. There is a bleakness that runs through Manchester by the Sea, which is not manufactured melancholy, but more an exposure of the mundane griefs real life punctures our days with. Instead of portraying a grief zombie, Affleck rather plays a shell of a man, someone going through the motions while occasionally you still see the little flicker in him fighting for hope. After seeing him lead Gone Baby Gone and nail supporting turns in Out of the Furnace and Tower Heist, it was a pleasure getting to watch Mr. Affleck carry this film, though his performance will leave a dent in your heart.
I suppose why this and Moonlight are comparable in how they've left an impression on me is how genuine they both feel. Characters interrupt each other, stutter, curse; there isn't an ounce of Tinsel Town glamour to be seen. And yet with these inclusions there is no fat to be trimmed; you get a true feel that Lonergan and editor Jennifer Lame structured the back and forth narrative exactly how this particular story should have unfolded. It makes the engagement of the viewer putting everything together so rewarding.
Michelle Williams plays Randi, Lee's ex-wife, and while she is heartfelt and heartbreaking in equal parts, she certainly doesn't have the co-lead status the posters imply. She's probably onscreen for 20 minutes. Hedges more properly earns that title. His Bostonian nature and onslaught of 16 year old hormones make Patrick a layered, relatable character, and he begs the question: how does one respond when their father dies in the middle of their formative years? Hedges is a true talent, but please sir, don't let the studios steal you for another Hunger Games ripoff franchise. Keep your nose to the indie grindstone.Finally, Manchester by the Sea achieves the golden standard of what any great movie should feature: the treacherously difficult act of balancing heavy drama with really sharp moments of humor. You know that old movie review cliche of "You'll laugh, you'll cry!"? I actually did that in one scene where Lee attempts to comfort his nephew. Manchester is never ha-ha funny, but to combat sadness you have to laugh, and Lonergan wisely uses it so his audience doesn't need Prozac with their popcorn.
My only complaints are nitpicks; if you think Williams doesn't get enough screen time, wait 'til you see the cameo a certain celebrity receives late in the film. The script is air-tight, the performances generous in their humanity, the movie tearjerking in the most natural way. Because while the film takes you to the absolute brink of heartache, you still leave with a weathered grin on your face, that there is hope for broken men like Lee Chandler. Manchester by the Sea hit every qualifier I would want in a movie of the year, so don't be surprised nine days later if you come back to this blog and see just that.
Rating: 4/4 stars
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