Manchester by the Sea (2016) [Blu-ray]
Drama

Casey Affleck heads a powerhouse cast in this acclaimed and deeply moving film from award-winning writer-director Kenneth Lonergan. After a solitary Boston janitor (Affleck) unexpectedly becomes the sole guardian of his 16-year-old nephew, he must come to terms with a past that separated him from his wife (Michelle Williams) and his hometown, as uncle and nephew unite for an unforgettable journey of love, community, sacrifice, and hope.

Storyline: An uncle is obliged to return home to care for his nephew after his brother dies. Unknowing he is to be the guardian and struggles with the decision. Throughout the movie he recounts past memories that caused him to leave Manchester and distance himself from his past.

Reviewer's Note: Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman, February 17, 2017 Many of you have no doubt seen a meme on various social media outlets which states something along the lines of be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about, an aphorism which has been variously attributed (in various forms) to everyone from Plato to Philo of Alexandria to Ian Maclaren to Wendy Mass. The fact that most people, indeed perhaps everyone, is dealing with "personal issues" that they often don't readily share with others is probably a given, but Kenneth Lonergan's Manchester by the Sea takes that basic idea and dangles it in front of the audience for a while before ultimately revealing a seemingly distant but still viscerally felt tragedy that has colored several people's lives, none more so than Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), a reserved and seemingly depressive handyman working in the outskirts of Boston. Lonergan is no stranger to subtext, as his two previous films as writer-director, You Can Count on Me and Margaret, have proven. (Lonergan's credits as writer are a rather odd assortment, including everything from Analyze This / Analyze That to The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle to Gangs of New York, films so disparate that they prove Lonergan's versatility if nothing else.) Subtext fairly drips from the first hour or so of Manchester by the Sea, a film which in a way seems to reverse some of the plot mechanics of You Can Count on Me by having Lee return to his hometown of Manchester by the Sea after the death of his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler). That tragedy would seem to be enough to inform the film's narrative, for once Lee returns home, he's almost immediately saddled with the realization that he has been named the guardian of Joe's rakish son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). But there's obviously something else coloring these characters' lives, and that gives the narrative momentum of Manchester by the Sea a kind of ominously foreboding ambience, perhaps only exacerbated by the fact that no one seems to be willing to talk about what's "really" going on.

Lonergan plays with time in Manchester by the Sea, thrusting flashbacks into the story in an almost shoehorned fashion, something that no doubt indicates how intense and frankly unpredictably persistent memories can be. The "current time" narrative involves Lee trying to forge (or re- forge) a relationship with Patrick, all while the family deals with the after effects of Joe's death, something that kind of comically leads to Joe's body literally being put on ice until winter has passed and Manchester by the Sea's notoriously hard, frozen ground will have thawed enough for a proper burial. This kind of bleak, indeed black, humor suffuses Manchester by the Sea at odd intervals, but it's to Lonergan's credit that there really aren't any tonal inconsistencies in the presentation, despite an unavoidably dour and melancholic feeling that wafts through much of the film.

Flashbacks intrude in a kind of fragmented way, offering insight into happier times and relationships that seem downright healthy, including those between Lee and his wife Randi (Michelle Williams). It's not hard to draw some kind of conclusion from the fact that the contemporary timeframe shows Lee desperately alone and isolated, and again hints of some unspeakable sadness tend to inform many scenes ostensibly about something else, like the veritable elephant in the room. An unmistakable ostracization of Lee by various people makes it clear that Lee's history has taken a decided detour somewhere along the way, but, again, Lonergan merely teases the audience for a while, before delivering what is an undeniably horrifying revelation (which won't be spoiled here).

While the sadness underlying not just Joe's death but Lee's own history is an unavoidable part of the emotional ambience of Manchester by the Sea, the real through line in the film is actually the establishment of a working relationship between Lee and Patrick. Here the film shows the halting, tamped down manner of these northeastern males, probably circumscribed by their own self imposed notions of "masculinity", something that is only further hobbled by either an inability or unwillingness to articulate what's going on inside their hearts. While that male bonding provides a lot of developmental angles, probably the single biggest burst of emotion comes courtesy of a brief, heart wrenching scene between Lee and Randi, one which again highlights Lee's stumbling way with trying to express himself (something that probably only adds to the angst of the moment).

While the narrative of Manchester by the Sea may be intentionally shattered and kind of slow moving, there's no arguing with Lonergan's mastery of character and dialogue. This film is an actor's showcase, and Affleck has amassed literally scores of awards for his performance and is according to some prognosticators the odds on favorite to win the Academy Award for Best Actor. What's kind of amazing about this recognition is that the character of Lee and Affleck's portrayal of him are both on the quiet side, aside from certain fits of pique that erupt from time to time. Affleck manages to create a believable, emotionally withdrawn character without resorting to "mumble core" tactics, resulting in one of the most memorable performances of the year.

Manchester by the Sea is an emotionally wrenching experience, and it's hard to make it through the film without experiencing a lump or two in the throat. Buoyed by some impressive performances and a beautifully rendered sense of place and character, this may not be an "easy" film to watch, but it's extremely worthwhile. I personally had a few issues with so much different source music being shoehorned into the proceedings (some of the cues, as in the scene where Lee has to view his brother's corpse, just seemed needlessly overwrought), but otherwise this is a remarkable effort that deserves the many accolades it's been receiving. Technical merits are strong, and Manchester by the Sea comes Highly recommended.

[CSW] -2.3- Since most Academy Awards winning performances are for a conflicted character this film will surely be nominated. Be aware, the film is almost relentlessly sad and depressing with very few (but totally appropriate) reasons to smile. And if you're looking for superior dramatic realism and Oscar-worthy acting across the board, don't miss this heartbreakingly beautiful film. However, for me, it was a disappointment. When his brother dies, Lee is left guardian of his teenage nephew. The brother had everything planned with Lee moving to Manchester to raise his son. Trouble is Lee has too much baggage to deal with. While the causes and effects of that baggage are beautifully presented you eventually recognize that being stuck in his own La Brea Tar Pit is inescapable and that it will eventually claim yet another victim. Many believe that even as a broken character who's own life is in shambles, he finds the inner strength to do the right, responsible thing is THE redeeming quality. I, on the other hand, don't believe that he could have ever pulled anyone else into that pit with him. So that makes him like a stoic alcoholic that refuses to attempt to correct his own problem but simply wallows in it and dismisses everything else. Is pawning off your responsibilities instead of learning to play while hurt like many other people have learned to do, the answer? I think not.
[V4.5-A4.5] MPEG-4 AVC - No D-Box


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