Manchester by the Sea is a coming of age tale, intertwining coping with personal loss. Subsequently, dealing with what life throws at you unexpectedly. One of the most critically applauded films of last year, the gripping drama has been nominated for six reputable Academy Award nominations; Casey Affleck took home the award for ‘Best Actor’ amongst five nominations at the recent Golden Globe ceremony.
Affleck stars as Lee Chandler – an unassuming janitor who has a tragic past history, gradually coming to light throughout the duration of the film. Living in Boston, on a normal, uneventful winter’s day, Chandler receives a phone call which not only turns his whole world upside down but also changes the lives drastically of the people around him. Narrowly arriving at the hospital too late, he discovers that his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has passed away, and ventures back to sleepy, unassuming hometown Manchester-by-the-Sea to inform Joe’s son Patrick (Lucas Hedges) of the news. Lee eventually finds out that the death will have a particularly significant implication on his life: legal custody of Patrick, whom he was once close to many years ago, now lies on his shoulders.
Casey, who some may argue is overshadowed by the success older brother Ben has had in films including Pearl Harbour, Argo, and pulsating psychological thriller Gone Girl delivers an absolutely mesmerising performance as Lee. He is compelling and convincing as custodian janitor Lee Chandler. Lee is a complicated person and the reasons why he appears to be emotionally suppressed and distant are explained well in flashback sequences.
Lee’s role in the film is not purely revolved around decisions made whilst acting as a guardian for Patrick, but also the relationships he has with Patrick’s unstable, recovering alcoholic mother (Gretchen Mol), and estranged former wife Randi (played amazingly by Michelle Williams) are unearthed and tracked throughout the course of the film. Casey and Williams have a subliminal film presence; they superbly portray awkward ex-lovers who clearly still have a connection, and each has respectively been tipped for deserved Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards.
Lucas Hedge adds light relief to the film as Patrick – amidst all the trauma and tension expressed between the other characters, he is a typical 16-year-old, playing ice hockey, and juggling multiple girlfriends with studying and band practice. There are several genuine laugh-out-loud moments in the film, and many revolve around the teenager, including his failed attempts to finally ‘seal the deed’ with one of his girlfriends Sandy (Anna Baryshnikov). That is the real class-defining factor of the film; Kenneth Lonergan, who directed and wrote the film’s script, is exceptional at encompassing the lowest lows and the highest highs in the dialogue of his films. All the way through you feel a multitude of emotions, ranging from feeling happy and joyous for the characters, laughing along with them, to experiencing unbearable distress and sadness with them, all within a short period of the film.
THE VERDICT
Manchester by the Sea is a gripping watch, and you will not be able to take your eyes off a single second of the film; exceptionally acted, realistic and witty, it is a heart-breaking journey into a loss, a gradual recovery and adjustment to a different life ahead.
Rating: 9.5/10
Words by Georgia Stephenson