Writer/Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams and Lucas Hedges
‘A Magnificent Masterpiece’
It’s easier said than done to cope with the loss of a loved one. Everyone can recall a sad time when they had to deal with the devastating loss of a loved one. Whether it’s a family member, relative or close friend, the loss of a beloved person can leave one with a broken heart hard to mend. When a person in one’s family dies, it can be hard to move on with life. Emotions of grief causing a toll can lead a person’s life to spiral out of control. No matter how hard one tries, sometimes it’s impossible to move on from a heartbreaking loss bringing tears to eyes. A painful process causing distress, grief is seldom depicted in movies with success. Given the depressing nature of the topic, movies rarely ever portray grief in a way that’s realistic. For these reasons, it’s rare to see authentic depictions of grief that tears apart families in movies.
Few movies I have ever seen have captured grief as powerfully as “Manchester by the Sea”. Released in 2016, Kenneth Lonergan’s film painted a powerful portrait of grief causing a man’s life to disintegrate. With his Oscar-winning drama, Lonergan created a portrait of a family trauma. Boasting exquisite production-design, engaging storytelling and phenomenal performances, it’s a magnificent masterpiece. At the centre of it all is a phenomenal performance by Casey Affleck, who embodies emotions of a broken man overcome by feelings of grief. While “Manchester by the Sea” isn’t an easy movie to watch due to its heartbreaking subject matter, it demands to be seen. Ultimately, the film delivers a universal message that would resonate with everyone experiencing loss at an early age. As someone that has witnessed loss in my life, I identified deeply with the movie. A therapeutic piece of Cinema, it proves movies can allow people to move on from trauma.
Set in the town of Manchester, “Manchester by the Sea” tells the story of a grief-stricken janitor haunted by past disaster. Casey Affleck portrays Lee Chandler, a depressed janitor struggling to find happiness in his mundane life in Manchester. Lee is a withdrawn individual that keeps to himself refusing to interact with family, friends or even neighbours. However, Lee’s life forever changes when his brother is tragically killed in a disaster. Forced to become a legal guardian of his brother’s son Patrick (Lucas Hedges), Lee struggles to cope with a death that’s tragic. Put in a stressful scenario, Lee struggles to take care of his brother’s son that has mental health issues of his own. Facing a dilemma, Lee questions whether he will overcome trauma.
Kenneth Lonergan is fascinated with themes of grief. A celebrated playwright, Lonergan has often told stories about grief individuals fight. His directorial debut “You Can Count on Me” told story of a grief-stricken women mourning loss of parents that died in crash crash tragedy. With “Manchester by the Sea”, however, Lonergan crafted his first film set in Boston. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture families grieving loved ones in Boston but he succeeded. Through captivating cinematography, Lonergan captures a depressed janitor grieving loss of loved ones in a small community. Lonergan effectively uses long takes to capture loneliness of a janitor mourning the heartbreaking loss of loved ones that’s devastating. Long takes elevates the police station scene. During this memorable scene, Lee reveals the tragic incidents leading up to his family’s death as he’s interrogated by police that are probing. One admires long takes capturing feelings of grief. Through this immersive long take, Lonergan captures the heartache experienced by a man mourning loss of family that’s hard to shake. It’s an incredible scene that manages to convey painful feelings of grief in a realistic way. Using breathtaking visuals, Lonergan captures individuals grieving.
Another admirable aspect of “Manchester by the Sea” that’s worth discussing is production-design. Lonergan excels at using the backdrop of a neighbourhood in Manchester to capture grief. Lonergan’s decisions to shoot the movie in real-life locales across New England pays off tremendously. Throughout the movie, the small town of Manchester plays a pivotal role in capturing families torn apart by tragedy. For instance, real-life locales of Manchester elevate the marriage reunion scene. During this emotional scene, Lee is heartbroken when he’s reunited with his wife several years after a traumatic incident in which they separated. One appreciates the fishing town backdrop capturing bonds between two characters with a traumatic past history. Through this realistic setting, Lonergan captures families that are torn apart by catastrophic tragedies. Moreover, the musical score is magnificent. Lesley Barber’s music is memorable. The music plays a pivotal role in conveying emotions of broken families. It captures the despair of families torn apart by tragedy. Using powerful production, Lonergan paints a powerful portrait of emotion.
Storytelling is one of the main reasons why “Manchester by the Sea” is a drama about grief that’s engaging. The film is beautifully written, and effectively uses flashbacks to demonstrate the impact of grief on an individual. Lonergan’s screenwriting strength is capturing the impact of grief on a family through non-linear storytelling. The film deftly switches back and forth between two timelines: Lee’s present-day grief as a janitor and memories of his joyous past with his family. Throughout the movie, Lee recounts memories of his family’s death that caused adversity. Flashbacks elevate the legal guardian scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Lee recounts traumatic memories of his family’s death during a doctor’s meeting. Through non-linear storytelling, Lonergan crafts a fascinating character whose grief audiences can identify with. It’s a beautiful scene that captures grief in a realistic manner that it has never been seen on the big-screen. Non-linear storytelling is a complicated technique. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” suggested non-linear storytelling elevates historical biopics. David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” claimed non-linear storytelling elevated murder mysteries. Nevertheless, it works immensely in this movie. Through a spectacular screenplay, Lonergan demonstrates emotions of grief that destroy families today.
One appreciates amazing performances.
Casey Affleck delivers a career-defining performance as Lee Chandler. Affleck achieved appreciation for playing working-class individuals in Boston. With “Manchester by the Sea”, however, he took on his most emotionally demanding role. It isn’t easy to portrait a grief-stricken janitor haunted by family tragedy, but he succeeded. In an Oscar-winning role, Affleck pours his heart and soul into a conflicted janitor facing a heavy toll. With captivating expressions, he captures the angst, depression and trauma of a broken man haunted by family tragedy. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the greatest actors working today.
Lucas Hedges is terrific as a tormented teenager mourning the tragic loss of a father that he grew up to treasure. While Affleck gets the showier role, Hedges is also excellent as a teenager whose life spirals out of control. As Patrick, Hedges excels at capturing emotions of a grief-stricken teenager through expressions that are realistic. Whether he’s silently grieving the loss of his father or arguing with his uncle over his role as a caregiver, Hedges expertly uses his expressions to capture a teenager facing disaster. It’s a powerful performance that proves Hedges is a talented actor with a promising future in the industry
The final standout in the cast is Michelle Williams. As Lee’s former wife, she brings heartbreaking emotion to the movie.
Finally, “Manchester by the Sea” is a movie everyone would appreciate for its realistic depiction of family tragedy. Unlike most movies about grief, it’s one of those rare movies which everyone would relate to. It tackles universal themes including family, mental health and trauma which would resonate with everyone. Viewers aren’t required to be native members of the New England community to appreciate the movie. It delivers a universal message that would resonate with everyone that has experienced trauma at an early age. Therefore, everyone would enjoy visiting the colourful fishing towns of “Manchester by the Sea”.
Fans of family dramas will definitely appreciate “Manchester by the Sea” and so will movie-goers seeking meaningful entertainment. An extraordinary drama, it proves Cinema is a powerful medium that can allow people to cope with trauma.
Nearly a decade following the release of an iconic film about janitors drowning in a sea of grief struggling to come to terms with loss of family that’s tragic, it’s a rousing reminder about the power of Cinema as a therapeutic art-form that can be used to tell realistic stories about relatable individuals facing events that are catastrophic that can inspire individuals to come to terms with deaths in their lives that prove to be traumatic.
5/5 stars
The Film Buff 