No film in 2016 has yet to draw such a painfully, emotional reaction from its audience as Manchester by the Sea. After premiering at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Manchester by the Sea has garnered buzz for not only the film’s emotional backdrop but the performances of both Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams.
Written and directed by award-winning director Kenneth Lonergan, Manchester by the Sea tells the story of Lee Chandler, a janitor who is forced to return to his hometown after the death of his older brother, Joe. Lee shocked to learn he has been given custody of Joe’s son Patrick, reluctantly begins to deal with not only Patrick but the events that led him to originally leave Manchester-by-the-Sea. Lonergan effectively weaves through past and present through flashbacks and is able to craft a tension-filled story that penetrates and affects relationships.
The first hour of the film has the audiences wondering what led to Lee not only leaving the city but distancing himself from not only his friends but his family. Lonergan only hints at why Lee’s so reluctant to come home, while including flashbacks to past events where Lee was in a better place emotionally, married to Randi (Michelle Williams), and living in a nice house with their three kids. Gradually, Lonergan begins to show where and how everything went wrong in Lee’s life and how one mistake cost Lee everything. That one mistake is beautifully shot and aided with a score that drives home the tragedy of Lee’s mistake.
The burden of guilt hangs over Lee’s head throughout the film and despite being treated well by family and friends, Lee is still looked at by others as the “Chandler no one likes.” Lonergan shows that despite attempts, Lee will never be able to get over the tragedy, affecting his relationship with Patrick. Despite not wanting to become his legal guardian, the relationship with Patrick and Lee is key to the finality and acceptance that Lee will not recover from his own personal tragedy and does not want to include Patrick in his burden.
The audience can see and feel Lee’s burden throughout the film, all a credit to a career-making performance by Casey Affleck. Affleck who is on screen in almost every scene has the difficult task of transitioning a once charming individual to someone who now acts out attacking someone after they shot a glare in their direction. Affleck maximizes every scene and along with that one bad night, no other scene in the film brought more heartbreak then the finale scene between Michelle Williams and Affleck. Both Lee and Randi show their love for each other trying not to hurt each other despite the events that have affected and changed the paths of their lives. Lee realizing that despite Randi’s willingness to see Lee, he can’t face her. Every time Lee looks into her eyes, he thinks about all that they have been through. These are two performances that will surely lead to Academy Award nominations in the upcoming award season.
The film does suffer from being a bit on the long side. Clocking in at 2 hours and 13 minutes, there are a sufficient amount of scenes that neither advance the story nor deliver information that is key to the plot, ultimately hurting the rhythm and pacing of the film.
Manchester by the Sea is a study of guilt and the complexity of recovering from it. A modern day tragedy that will surely bring tears but also bring hope that Lee may one day say goodbye to his past and forgive himself. One of the finest films of the year, Manchester by the Sea opens November 18th, 2016.
Reel Talk gives Manchester by the Sea 3.5 Reels
