Manchester by the Sea
by Robbo
Posted on 14 April 2021
Rating -
Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American independent tragedy film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan that stars Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Lucas Hedges.
The plot follows a depressed man who, after his brother dies, is entrusted with the care of the latter’s teenage son.
The film opens with Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) working as a handyman for an apartment block in Boston.
Lee receives a call telling him his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has suffered a heart attack. Lee doesn’t respond in a way which you think he would, he seems detached and un-emotional.
Lee rushes to the hospital, but Joe dies before he can get there. Speaking with the medical staff Lee seems rude and irritable.
Lee insists on being the one to tell Patrick, Joe’s son about the death of his father.
During the reading of the will, Lee is shocked to discover that his brother has made him guardian of Patrick, insisting that he just isn’t able to accept the responsibility.
Patrick doesn’t want to leave Manchester-by-the-sea because of his girlfriend, friends and school and plans to take over his fathers boat and fishing business, but Lee has plans to take Patrick back to Boston to live with him.
Due to the ground being frozen, Joe’s body can’t be buried until Spring when the ground will thaw so Lee agrees to stay in Manchester-by-the-sea until after the funeral.
Through a series of flashbacks you see the personal tragedy that has made Lee the way he is.
Lee bumps into his ex-wife Randi (Michelle Williams) who expresses remorse for the way she has treated him and the things she said, but he leaves to avoid becoming emotional, not feeling he deserves her apology.
When Patrick asks Lee why he can’t stay, Lee just says he ‘can’t beat it’.
Casey Affleck gives a very understated but intense performance, deserving of the Academy Award for Best Actor.
This is a simple story about family tragedy and unresolved grief. You want the ending to be happier, you want everything to work out, for Lee to stay but he just isn’t able to overcome the past, not allowing himself to be freed from the guilt.
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