Mr. Movie review: Deep on every level, ‘Manchester by the Sea’ high on everyone’s 2016 best list
Manchester by the Sea is a character study, and not a lot happens. But as you bounce through writer/director Kenneth Lonergan’s movie, you find a deep and sometimes dark drama that in places is — oddly — funny.
This is wonderfully done from the brilliant acting and Lonergan’s sure and steady hand from the director’s chair. The Oscar and award buzz starts with Casey Affleck’s desperate performance. As his work in 2007’s Gone Baby Gone proved, Affleck — when given a chance — is a much deeper and more interesting actor than his famous brother.
Equally delightful is newcomer Lucas Hedges as the nephew, Patrick. The kid loses his dad but just can’t stop being a teenager. Self focus reigns as hanging with friends and homework, with one girlfriend and dating another surface. If the subject wasn’t so serious, this would be funny.
And then — shockingly — you laugh anyway.
Lonergan is a wonderful writer and storyteller who co-wrote The Gangs of New York and the critically acclaimed but little seen You Can Count on Me. The art of successful screenwriting is the ability to create characters with three-dimensions. In Manchester by the Sea, Lonergan delivers rich, deep characters and plops them into a realistic story, and then lays their lives out for all to see in glorious loving color on a big screen.
Manchester by the Sea
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Stars: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Mr. Movie rating: 5 stars
Rated R for language, mature themes. It’s playing at the Carmike 12.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen.
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it’s your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on DVD.
2 stars to 1 star: Don’t bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
Manchester by the Sea
Director: Kenneth Lonergan
Stars: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Mr. Movie rating: 5 stars
Rated R for language, mature themes. It’s playing at the Carmike 12.
5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen.
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it’s your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on DVD.
2 stars to 1 star: Don’t bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.
This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 2:51 PM with the headline "Mr. Movie review: Deep on every level, ‘Manchester by the Sea’ high on everyone’s 2016 best list."