Writer & Director / Kenneth Lonergan (MARGARET, YOU CAN COUNT ON ME)
Stars / Casey Affleck, CJ. Wilson, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges and Michelle Williams

One of the front runners in 2017’s race to the Oscars, with 6 nominations including Best Picture, is this low-key, hard-hitting drama MANCHESTER BY THE SEA. Initially set to be directed by and star Matt Damon, and featured in 2014’s Blacklist of “most liked” unmade scripts, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA is the story of a man faced with great responsibility that, for reasons which will become evident, he may not be ready to accept.

Lee Chandler (Affleck), a quiet and reticent handyman, is compelled to return to Manchester-by-the-sea, a town he grew up in, after the sudden passing of his brother. During his revisit, Lee learns that he has been assigned as guardian of his teenage nephew, Patrick (Hedges).

MANCHESTER BY THE SEA quietly achieves A-grade status by way of its storytelling structure and its well-studied account of key themes.

Covering two separate timelines in Lee’s life, writer/director Kenneth Lonergan has integrated these timelines all throughout to tell this story in his third feature film. Early into this plus two-hour drama, there is one very notable observation made. The character of Lee that you acquaint with from the beginning of the picture is markedly different in temperament and of lifestyle to the man depicted in that other timeline gradually unfolding. Why is that? That of course will not be discoursed here. Instead, what will be revealed is just how mighty fine a film MANCHESTER BY THE SEA truly becomes as the question-provoking premise and arrival into thematic territory establish themselves.

Where this terrific film hits greater heights in quality is in the honesty of its writing and character depiction & the execution of a handful of scenarios. Many of the arrangements that go down in MANCHESTER BY THE SEA are rather awkward and uncomfortable for its characters. Each of these exchanges exude a fascinating realism that make their presence so profound. Furthermore, certain pivotal events to occur in this film are stunningly captured – often with dialogue spoken being muted, in slightly slowed-motion and supported by a mostly operatic and/or piano score.

These are the unforgettable moments of MANCHESTER BY THE SEA, finishing off its fine achievements with accomplished acting work from Oscar-nominated stars, Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck.

4 ½ stars

Viewer Discretion/ MA15+ (strong coarse language, also contains some sexual content)

Trailer / MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

Moviedoc thanks Universal Pictures and the Cinema Nova for the screening invite to this film.

Review by Moviedoc / “LIKE” on Facebook – Moviedoc

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