Reviews & Ratings for
Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Personally I don't think any words can really explain the message this ‘‘pure drama’’ brings to screen until you've seen it and felt it. It's one of those movies you realize at the end that it's given you so so much that it was worth your time and in fact, you're just grateful?... Strong notable acting performances from Kyle Chandler, Cassie Affleck (amazing), Michelle Williams and the remaining cast; it's screenplay, directing, beautiful cinematography of the town Manchester-by-the-sea, Massachusett, makes it all bearable as we unravel the trauma and agony of what total ‘loss’ really feels like. In a dark tone, it asks piercing yet thought provoking questions about true to life matters we all seem to ignore or not even reflected on before. Yes, that could happen to me too but how would I face and deal with that? I don't think any film out there has given me much take away on this subject than Manchester by the Sea. It's a masterpiece in it's genre and one of the movies I get to keep with me for life. You just don't know what you're missing but don't worry, you'll soon be writing a similar review like this after 2hrs 17mins of pure drama magic. Get stunned.

وای چ داخێکە مرۆڤ لە یەک کاتدا چەند کەسێکی خۆشەویستی لەدەست بدات و تا ئەبەد خۆی بە تاوانباری مردنەکەیان بزانێت.
فیلمێکی تراجیدی پڕ لە ڕاستیی و ئازار و خۆشەویستیی و وەفا و لێبوردەیی و مۆسیقا.

گەر تاوەک ئێستە ئەو منداڵەی ناختت گەورە نەکردووە، هەوڵبدە کەمێک ئەم فیلمە ڕێگای گەورەبوونت نیشان بدات.

Grief remains one of cinema's favourite subjects. There's something about loss and pain that simply lends itself to cinematic storytelling. In many ways this does conform to the archetypal artistic moniker of sadness translating to creative beauty.

However, Manchester by The Sea by writer-director Kenneth Lonergan is different. There's no beauty in the loss felt by Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) in this film. A loss so unspeakably painful that trying to romanticize it for the sake of art would have been a travesty unto the suffering felt by him.

The film narrates the events following the death of his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) and his subsequent guardianship of Joe's son Patrick (Lucas Hedges).

The death of his brother in many ways reluctantly forces Lee to come out of a self imposed shell he has built for himself - arising out of the tragedy that he has experienced a long time ago and is still grappling with today.

In many ways this film could have turned out to be a cliched Hollywood drama of a man who has been knocked down far too many times before who finally gets the strength to persevere and succeed after being charged with being responsible for another human. However this is no such film.

Lonergan refuses to make Patrick a simple rebellious teenage boy or someone deeply depressed over the loss of his father. Instead Patrick seemingly manages to carry on with life as it always was - juggling girlfriends and doing his best to live life. That's not to say that he doesn't grieve over the loss of his father - however much like Lee, it's a silent, solemn mourning - in many ways a deeply personal and private emotion that the two seem to share and bond over without overtly expressing it.

In many ways the movie is a mediation on grief in the realest sense of the word and in a fashion true to form, it doesn't show a hero rising from the ashes of despair to achieve glory.

It shows a janitor who's had everything stripped from him emotionally still continue with his life - sweeping and cleaning because life doesn't stop even if it may seem like it has. Here lies the true beauty in the film - not in the grief itself, but in its acceptance of it and willingness to bear it.

5/5

Casey Affleck plays a janitor who has to return to his hometown when his brother (Kyle Chandler) suddenly dies of a heart attack. He's named guardian for his teenage nephew, and you come to understand through flashbacks why he is so reluctant to assume that role. Michelle Williams plays his ex-wife, in a fantastic supporting role. Lucas Hedges is the 16 year old nephew, and he is amazing. This is a break out role for this young actor.

But Casey Affleck's melancholy superb acting had me sobbing, not just tears down my face but holding my hand over my mouth to keep quiet in the theater sobbing. This is a masterful movie about real people and their grief.

Post Oscars Movie Review :
Manchester By The Sea Movie Review :

This movie is about an uncle and his nephew coming to terms with the death of a loved one and the new reality facing them.
This movie is a slow burn drama and although there is nothing wrong with that, somehow the movie meanders it way through the script before finally coming to a meandering and ultimately unfulfilling ending.

The performance of Casey Affleck won him an Oscar and good as his performance is, it’s obvious why this role was written for Matt Damon. He would have been PERFECT in the role, but Casey is the one who got the benefit of the role. His sullen act of a depressed and introverted man is flawless but it is not compelling.
This movie is performance driven and rests on the way the acting is done, the rest of the film, the cinematography, the editing, the story itself are a bit lack lustre and not much happens overall.

So what this film only if you like slow movies which are a bit depressive and ultimately don’t really drive home a point or leave the viewer thinking.

Rating: My Rating of this film would be a 6/10. It’s not unwatchable or overly pretentious, but it’s no masterpiece either.

P.S : the scene featured on the poster is the ONLY scene this actress has any acting in it, her role is basically just this 1 scene and she got an oscar nomination for it! what the heck!