I am a little conflicted about Manchester by the Sea and maybe i need to give it another viewing. I love a slow burner, full of conversation and endings that go nowhere and as a father myself i can fully empathize with the main characters. I mean what could be worse than what Lee and Randi go through.. Was the lack of on screen grieving the premise for us viewers to feel numb like our on screen characters ? Were we supposed to root for them and hope life starts to treat them more kindly - i for one didn't. I just felt numb and maybe that was the point.
I felt the pain during the house fire scene, the combination of Barber's, Adagio for Strings during such a traumatic event really pulled at me also when Lee and Randi meet in the street, well the flood gates almost opened but thankfully Lee ran away from the conversation and this grown man was saved from embarrassing himself in the cinema, the other side of me wanted to be a blubbering wreck , i wanted to see Lee's breakdown and maybe his breakthrough but would that be a bit too melodramatic and soap opera like....but still something was lacking and i can't quite put my finger on it.
I mean Casey Affleck has been doing this kind of acting for years - i am not being critical, he was fantastic - i am just saying this is the way he acts in most films - he is inaudible and moody so the casting was perfect . Oscar worthy i don't know . I'll let you know once i have watched the other nominees.
[9.0/10] There are some losses that you can’t come back from, that change you so fundamentally that even the most vital pulls and connections cannot bring you out of it. That is the core idea at the center of Manchester by the Sea. It is a film about grief, how we deal with it, and how its tendrils wrap themselves around the rest of our lives, to where some can wriggle free and some cannot.
The emblem of that is Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) a Boston handyman who is the film’s protagonist. When Lee’s brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) dies, he is called back to Manchester to settle his affairs, including what’s to be done about Lee’s nephew Patty. These events call on Lee to face the site and memories of his own traumas, as he’s trying to do right by his brother and help his nephew with his own grief.
What’s striking is the way that even before the exact contours of the loss that made Lee into the person he is today are revealed, it’s clear that he is a broken man, someone who is not fully present in the world. Some of this comes from the flashbacks pepper into the film, which show a much more jovial and engaged individual, cutting a contrast with the dead-eyed janitor who lurches through life in the present day. But a great deal of it comes from an outstanding performance from Affleck, who evinces a detached hauntedness from the first minute of the film.
When it is revealed, at the halfway mark, that Lee’s three young children died in a fire, a fire that he accidentally caused, its crystalizes the reasons for Lee’s demeanor and his difficulties in returning to Manchester and acceding to Joe’s wishes that he become Patty’s guardians. But to the film’s credit, it never underlines these points too heavily, to where they’re barely uttered or even acknowledged out loud, but permeate the background of every scene and every moment.
It’s never says that Lee so resists the notion of living in Manchester because it’s the place where his children died. It just shows him looking out onto the city and intersperses that with scenes of the grisly aftermath. It never says he’s reluctant to be a father because he blames himself for what happened to his kids, it just shows him struggling to give any meaningful direction to Patty. It never says that he’s overly cautious when it comes to safety, particularly the safety of children, it just shows him overreacting to a misunderstanding when Patty tries to get out of the car while he’s driving. It never says that Lee won’t grant himself the chance for human connection again because he doesn’t believe he deserves it and because he’s scared of where it might lead, it just shows him having ample opportunities to connect with people and invariably turning them down.
Much of this is conveyed in Affleck’s bravura performance. He portrays Lee as completely hollowed out by the horrors he’s been a part of, so convincingly deadened by them that he’s no longer fully alive, just this inert, barely there thing that continues to exist without any reason to. The little details of the performance win the day. There is his sublimated anger, at himself and at the world, that prompt him to get into bar fights to feel something. There are the moments where a real human being breaks through so that Lee can comfort his nephew. There are hints, in a heart-rending scene with his ex-wife (Michelle Williams, who makes a big impact in limited screen time) at the recriminations, self-inflicted and otherwise, that leave such overwhelming guilt lingering within him.
But the best thing to recommend the film is its ending. In so many movies in this same vein, the natural move would be for Lee to have his troubles with being back in Manchester and faced with the ghosts of his past, but that the importance of Patty’s upbringing and his brother’s wishes would be enough for him to overcome them. Instead, in a quietly emotional moment, Lee confesses to Patty that he “just can’t beat it.” The memories of his children’s deaths, of his inadvertent hand in them, are too much for him to bear, even for this, one of the few people, if not the only person, that Lee still loves.
There is boldness in that choice. It’s too much to call Manchester by the Sea subversive, but the heart of storytelling, particularly in quiet character dramas like this one, is change. It’s the old story circle again – a character is called to adventure, has an experience, and comes back changed. Manchester uses that structure, but subverts it. It shows Lee on the cusp of recovering, on the cusp of making a breakthrough, coming ever so close to having that change and epiphany and recommitment to a new life, and then faltering in the face of inescapable reminders of what he was running from in the first place.
It is, in that way, one of the truest testaments to grief imaginable. There are some things in life that cannot be outrun or overcome. It is not a heartening notion, but it is true to live, and Manchester by the Sea examines it with conviction, empathy, and grace.
It would be easy for Lee to be the bad guy, for Patty to be a brat or the piteous kid who lost his father, for the community of Manchester to come together to raise them both up. Instead, there is complexity in the film’s DNA, to where Lee is equal parts unreachable and understandable, Patty experiences genuine pain and difficulty but also reads as a genuine teenager with all the rough edges that come with, and the people of Manchester help the Chandlers as best they can, but help them with well-warranted reservations as well. And it posits that recovery, even when necessary to take care of others you love, may simply not be possible.
And yet, for all that the film has been decried or championed for its depressing qualities, it ends on a note of measured and earned hope. Lee is not ready to be a father again, to be back in the place where his children died again, even for Patty. But he is ready to open his life again, just a little bit. His new apartment will have an extra room so that his nephew can come visit and stay. We see him out on that boat, on the water once more, symbolizing the times when he could be happy and his old self, and it’s a sign that he is not better, but that for the first time in a long time, there’s room in his life for something better.
Lee may never recover from this, may never become the person he was or even a person who a stranger could stand to have a conversation with for a half an hour. But he is, it seems, ready to become more, to open himself up to the last person in this world that he cares about. Manchester by the Sea ends on a note of hope. That hope is measured, balanced out by the cloud of grief that Lee will likely never fully escape, but it is a sign that even amid the harshest of losses, the ones that take away everything, there are people who give us something to hang onto, something to live for, something that makes us just a little bit more who we were before.
I'm a bit torn about this film. I enjoyed it, but almost solely because of the authenticity of the characters. It is a very jarring experience watching something so raw. When the screen faded to black I was disappointed because I didn't feel that the ending justified the painful journey.
Seriously how can this awful movie has 7,8 on imdb? This was the most meanless,boring movie with bad editing no music in most parts and in the end even though i am sensitive i didn't feel the drama not for a second..Omg give me back two hours of my life.
This should last one hour and it last 2 hours 17 mins i cant believe this
I have to confess, I'm a little puzzled as to why this movie is up for Oscar's best picture and best original screenplay. The story has lots of heartache but nothing changes. Are we such a jaded culture that our best hope is just making it through? The acting is very good, I don't begrudge it any of it's three acting Oscar nominations. The scenery is spectacular, I actually had to look up if some of it was filmed on the south shore of Nova Scotia. Never have I seen how much Atlantic Canada and New England are alike. Because of the performances, I give this a 7.5 (quite good) out of 10. I still haven't seen an Oscar worthy best picture. Three more nominated movies to see,
The script is perfect. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes in this. Casey Affleck gives an incredible performance that is so much more than just line delivery.
this is not even cinema i don't get why its so overhyped :sob::sob::sob::sob: so so so boring
I didn’t like the overuse of the word “fuck”. The beautiful story and the beautiful shots can’t fix it.
A really great film. Beautifully shot with an amazing performance by Casey Affleck.
Don't waste your time. It's nothing but drivel. No climax. The best part of the movie was that it ended. How this won so many awards is beyond me.
"I have nothing left" and "I can not stand it." The interpretation of Casey Affleck or, rather, the noninterpretation causes that this dramatic happened of "Premieres TV" to great film.
2+ hours of my life I wish I could get back.
What a load of crap. The acting was dreadful. Give this a wide berth if possible. Story line was rubbish too. Total thumbs down for me.
This is a captivating, immersive depiction of true life. Real characters moving through a tough time.
Impressive movie. Solid extremely believable acting. Great great great.
What an amazing movie Casey affleck at his best
Character-driven plotline, with the acting chops to back it up. Affleck was amazing as a man so deep in despair, he can't face himself. Williams was great too. This film really strikes a deep chord.
This movie is just too sad...
A tragedy that changed everyone lives.
I just wanna to hug Lee so much.
My honest opinion on this film is that it was good, but not great, and wasn't as good as It's made out to be, but each for their own at the end of the day. This film had a strong beginning, and that follows through to the end along with many emotions with a fine cast, and a super leading performance from (Lee) Casey Affieck. I kinda laughed at parts because of his characters actions and how he took things towards people, I don't think it was meant to come off as a comedy, obviously playing a broken character from his past events. I guess It could of just be my sense of humour. I thought the music through the film was beautiful, It fitted. This film will float your boat with a few leaks so get it watched.
I thought the move wad some good acting and a slow build up which is fine but the ending didn't feel like an ending. This is a movie drama based on tragedy and like life I guess there are times when things build up and just don't go where we would of liked or anywhere in this case.
Would I watch the moving, knowing the ending doesn't lead anywhere? Probably not.
A powerful, emotionally investing movie with some stellar performances particularly by Casey Affleck and Lucas Hedges. Essential.
I thought this movie was heart-wrenching and raw. I didn't like the end personally because it is not what I wanted for the characters, but I can see why they ended it that way. It was real. I felt the pain he was feeling.
It move me the scene where Lee lost his family and since that moment he couldn't keep forward.
Quietly powerful drama that is not as maudlin or as sentimental as I expected. Casey Affleck continues to impress, and sterling work from Lucas Hedges and Michelle Williams as well. This tale of grief is handled far more subtly than the same year's slush fest, Collateral Beauty, and is one of the best films of 2016.
Yeah... can't wait to watch that again...ever
Only forgiving yourself can let it go.
This was an interesting drama with likeable characters, but those didn't come close to making up for the terribly disjointed editing - especially the first half which was like watching a mini series on fast fwd but with the episodes jumbled up. I expect that the novel was written in this form but it is not an effective way to make a film adaptation.
“My heart was broken, it’s always gonna be broken and I know yours is broken too.”
Beautifully melancholic.
As a lifelong fuck up who's pretty sure he's earned any given misery and deserves nothing good, ever, this did a bit of damage on me.
So interesting I fell asleep,give this one a wide berth or do something fun.
Celebration of grief in most realistic way ... torments my heart
Huhh. Don’t watch this when you’re down. I made this mistake. It pulls you lower.
it's boring, i also don't get why it's overhyped and described as tear-jerker??!!? ..
however i loved the main character, his past and how it effected him for life, how broken he was portrayed was also so good
Manchester is a window into a broken man. He does not attempt to pick up the pieces but rather tries to just exist without adding to his pain. The story moves slow and many events add nothing, but the performances are great and the experience is worth its time (if you like feeling dejected).
'Manchester By The Sea' tells the story of a man struggling to come to terms with his past. The film starts off as a subtle, comedic drama about small town life, but gradually transforms into a character-driven tragedy that pulls the audience into the emotions of its characters. Casey Affleck gives a powerful and nuanced performance as the lead, and is supported by a strong cast including Lucas Hedges and Michelle Williams. The film explores themes of regret, pain, and the struggle to move on, and Affleck's character, Lee Chandler, is constantly plagued by memories and guilt. The film is a mature, thought-provoking work with a strong cast and direction. It's a worthy Oscar winner that's worth watching if you enjoy realistic, character-driven dramas like 'Silver Linings Playbook.' However, as the film suggests, life doesn't always turn out as we expect it to.
What an cathartic movie. Grief depicted in a somber way.
Glad to see I’m not the only one who was left feeling disappointed. For me, this movie wasn’t worth sitting through the non-stop string of F-bombs and other profanity. Lots of stuff could have been left out and the story would have lost nothing. Huge waste of time, IMO. :thumbsdown_tone2:
When this movie hits, it hits hard.
It was a good movie overall, life can be like that, with senseless tragedy and overwhelming grief that changes you irrevocably, when his ex-wife apologized I’m glad that the words and feelings were almost impossible to vocalize because that’s how it is. Movies don’t have to be full of drama etc., sometimes just being present in the moment on screen is enough.
Took me 3 goes to finish it. Not great at all
"I said a lot of terrible things to you. My heart was broken, and I know yours is broken, too."
"Manchester by the Sea" is a trip through all the emotions and life's cruel tricks. Grief, lost, loneliness, acceptance, and finding humor in difficult situations. But what separates this from other dramatic tearjerkers is that while the movie is really depressing, but you feel more alive afterwards. It can bring out totally different emotions from you.
What Kenneth Lonergan manages to bring for a movie like this is the ability of presenting the characters as real people. A quiet and raw film that says so much. Incredible moving and brilliantly written. Hats off to you Lonergan.
Casey Affleck performance was so natural and grounded to the point I forgot I was watching actors on screen. Even through it's not an explosive performance, but you clearly see the boiling anger and sadness beneath the surface of his emotions that he boxes in. The only time when he dose shows how really feels, he dose it in the worst possible way. Bar fights, punching a window, and swearing at random people. You only see a little peak of his humility and how truly broken he is. If Casey Affleck doesn't win an Oscar for this, I'll be so mad.
Michelle Williams is barley in the movie, but every time shes on..wow it's freaking heartbreaking. The depth and the shakiness in her voice during her breakdowns was almost too much for me to handle. Williams herself has dealt with lost before and this most have been really difficult, but she took her broken heart and made it into art.
This is one of the most well acted and human movies of 2016. It will hit home for people who lost loved ones. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will.
And those who say 2016 was a bad year for movies, should see more films.
This struck me as a very British film with an American accent, the slow, depressing drama is usually a very common Brit flick.
“I can’t beat it. I can’t...”
Casey Affleck really gives the performance of his career here, a brutally raw depiction of life’s mistakes and tragedies, told so accurately to real life many will feel it too depressing to handle. Don’t go into this expecting the Hollywood treatment, life isn’t like what we see in the movies and Manchester knows this too well. The subtle depiction of depression and the inability to reconcile with a horrific time in our lives is possibly one of the hardest things to consume as a viewer, especially to those who are used to everything being perfect in the end, but Manchester presents it so well I’d be hard pressed to call this a “difficult watch”. It’s just very real in its presentation, and I loved it for that.
Great movie, but definitely not for those after a good time. Ground yourself and accept its rawness and Manchester is a fantastic piece of cinema. Annoyed it took me this long to finally see it.
2 hours of scenic shots and heart breaking revelations make this a tough watch but a beautiful experience. Manchester by the Sea proves that you can't fix the past and you can't be someone you're not but you can get better and move forward in the face of tragedy.
It's a slow burn but it's a kick in the gut that might not fully kick in until after the film is over.
I love this kind of movie, slow, quite, mental conflict, etc
just realize that casey affleck is ben affleck brother
One of my favorite traits of many good films is subtlety. This film had that and so much more in spades. In a way it reminded me of Blue Valentine in the way that it made me feel. Easily one of the year's best.
(side note: How did Michelle Williams get second billing? She was in the movie for only a few minutes)
https://IHateBadMovies.com
very real-life story and acting was on point. didn't expect that ending though but still was very good and it didn't make me crazy like i was expected.
The performances are outstanding and the screenplay does an excellent job of slowly revealing the character's backgrounds and motivations. I was, however, a bit conflicted about the decision to spend that much time with the B-plot that ultimately didn't go anywhere. It was entertaining and interesting but didn't seem to contribute much to the overall story.
Like:
- Depression is the name of this movie and it translates it perfectly
- Great acting and dialog
- Movie jumps between different timelines revealing events that shape character emotions
- Sound design and music were good but nothing exceptional.
- Casey Affleck did win an Oscar for his role and I do agree that his depiction of the character he played was spot on.
- A real-life depiction of how man handle’s life in the aftermath of a tragedy
Dislike:
- It feels a bit dull in very few sections
Plot Complexity:
Medium with a good flow
Movie Facts:
- The town was called Manchester until 1989, when resident Edward Corley led a highly controversial campaign to formally change its name to Manchester-by-the-Sea. The action was passed by the state legislature that year.
- Shot in 32 days.
Awards/Oscars:
Won 2 Oscars
Rewatchable:
I can classify this movie as a great movie that I will only watch once.
It's a story that I like, and Casey's interpretation I think has been just to make it a drama and not get more. Very good.
Good movie, really sad though
A guy whos life consists of a mediocre job and getting into bar fights after work gets the information that his brother has died and travels back to his hometown, only to learn that he inherited custody of his brothers son. Back in his hometown, Manchester, he also faces his past wich is as we find out pice by pice an incredible tragedy.
As I am from Germany, we often don't have the luxury to being able to watch all movies wich earned an Oscar before the Oscars. For Manchester by the Sea this was true, and so I was eager to see this movie which I did not have heared about before the Oscars as there was no advertisement or trailers for this movie where I live.
In my opinion, this movie does not stand out in any category - I wouldn't say that I've seen great acting, I did not realize any incredible camera work, I did not realize the Score as something remarkable. But it is not a bad movie and all in all it was solid. Where it actually wins, is the story, which I find incredible - it is rather a character study than movie that is based on a lot of dialogues or action and acting. It therefore has a slow pace, a lot of still moments and a lot of flashbacks that help us understand this guy. It is the story telling that makes the audience change it's viewpoint of the main character - while in the beginning we get the feeling that this guy is an unsympathetic asshole, a guy that nobody would want to hang out with we will start to gain more and more understanding and sympathy for this man as the story progresses and the tragedy unfolds.
However, there is no epiphany, no character change, no lessons learned. At the end we are right where we started, with a slight hope of some minimal changes, and then we're let out to go home. Somewhat frustrating.
As I said, the story is great, and also the acting is totally fine - I believe Afflecks acting and I believe everyone elses. However, it is not exceptional - it is not hard to play, it wasn't challenging or daring. And thus being said I don't get how Affleck could have been chosen over Viggo Mortensen (I haven't seen the other nominees movies in that category) who in Captain Fantastic played a much more dynamic, much more changing character with a variety of emotions and changing views and character over the progression of the movie.
That being said, I guess the Oscar for best original script is more than justified! This is an epic tragedy that the writers came up with and it is perfectly told in a way that keeps you interested throughout the movie which is a great job for such a slow-paced movie!
It was an unusual movie in that it felt real. As in real life. Other than the Enya style music, it felt as if I was following Lee around in his daily life, and nothing was resolved. Just like life...
Just because the film naturally carries a containment of sorrow and gloom, it does not explain its complete dreariness. It's got bits of chronological experimentation and nice views of the sea, but otherwise, this is forgettable. See Ang Lee's "The Ice Storm" instead.
I think Lee Chandler is my favourite fictional character.
Wanted to love this movie ,ended up hating it. Great acting but a boring storyline.
This movie is so depressive. Just like Mark Ellis once said in Collider Videos, "sad movies are movies too". And this is a brilliant one.
"Manchester by the Sea" was beautifully shot, brilliant acted and splendid directed.
The story feels so real and no cliché. That's how life is. Even the ending feels so real. No "good ending" ou "bad ending". A real ending.
After this movie, Casey Affleck will no longer be recognized as "Ben Affleck's brother". He made the performance of his life and probably 2016.
Lucas Hedges was also really good, just like Michelle Williams (even though she has not had much screen time.
Kenneth Lonergan was fantastic in the way he told the story, including how he used flashbacks to explain the Casey Affleck's past (which in the beginning is not a very likeable guy).
Overall, this movie took me to such an “emotional ride” and, because of that, I'm not sure if I want to see this again anytime soon.. Outstanding movie.
Ok, this movie isn't fun to watch. However, I enjoyed it a lot. The portrayal of human emotion was beautiful. The whole film has this crushing mood with very few lift ups. An even harder fall then follows happiness. The ending isn't satisfying either, which is perfectly fine and fitting. As I said: The film isn't fun to watch — no happy ends.
The performance of the actors is incredible. Especially Casey's Affleck of Lee Chandler. He nails the hollowed out, emotionally deadened role, which is only fitting considering the circumstances of the characters.
In general, the writing and acting is spot on and fitting. So all in all. I would recommend the move.
"I said a lot of terrible things to you. My heart was broken, and I know yours is broken, too."
"Manchester by the Sea" is a trip through all the emotions and life's cruel tricks. Grief, lost, loneliness, acceptance, and finding humor in difficult situations. But what separates this from other dramatic tearjerkers is that while the movie is really depressing, but you feel more alive afterwards. It can bring out totally different emotions from you.
What Kenneth Lonergan manages to bring for a movie like this is the ability of presenting the characters as real people. A quiet and raw film that says so much. Incredible moving and brilliantly written. Hats off to you Lonergan.
Casey Affleck performance was so natural and grounded to the point I forgot I was watching actors on screen. Even through it's not an explosive performance, but you clearly see the boiling anger and sadness beneath the surface of his emotions that he boxes in. The only time when he dose shows how really feels, he dose it in the worst possible way. Bar fights, punching a window, and swearing at random people. You only see a little peak of his humility and how truly broken he is. If Casey Affleck doesn't win an Oscar for this, I'll be so mad.
Michelle Williams is barley in the movie, but every time shes on..wow it's freaking heartbreaking. The depth and the shakiness in her voice during her breakdowns was almost too much for me to handle. Williams herself has dealt with lost before and this most have been really difficult, but she took her broken heart and made it into art.
This is one of the most well acted and human movies of 2016. It will hit home for people who lost loved ones. If it hasn't happened to you yet, it will.
And those who say 2016 was a bad year for movies, should see more films.
The academy really has a hard on for misery eh...? Still, some really fantastic and human performance lead this engaging drama.
Way to long and very boring, the excess use of drama in almost every scene was tiring and the editing and montage of the scenes was dreadful. Especially the back and forth in time didn't make any sense and the changing of scenes were too bad. I cannot even begin to comprehend the best movie nomination.
Well, it is a good movie, low pace movie but good, it's very tense, Affleck's character makes it tense, and even though I like this kind of drama I don't see it as a great movie. Yet, I liked the story, is a real tragedy, showed something that can really happen in real life and Affleck's work is very impressive 'cause he show us the pain his character is been through without saying anything, just with his presence and the way he looks and acts. I don't know if this movie is a masterpiece or if it deserve the Oscar but Casey Affleck probably deserve it, I think his work was outstanding.
• I have a favorite film of this year and yes it's the clinically depressed one so what ?!
• Starts okay then hits you in the guts w/tragic past of the main character and everything comes later makes sense thus the perfect story
• These heavy moments are combined with mix of classical music and folk songs which is utterly wired and surprisingly works
• Casey Affleck reaching his full potential the Oscar nod is a well deserved
Pretty wrenching but I have to say I didn't find it as powerful or moving as Lonergan's previous films, Margaret or You Can Count on Me.
A deep and excellent movie followed for some memorable interpretations and a good soundtrack at the right time. Casey Aflleck has here good chances in the race for the Oscar.
Shout by chazTVBlockedParent2016-12-18T03:51:16Z
A family tragedy strikes and becomes intermingled with a previous deep, tragic loss. Resolution reflects love of family and while it wasn't the happiest of endings, it was something that might have actually happened in real-life. Well acted, well written -- tears guaranteed.