Review of Manchester by the Sea (2016) by Nadia C — 10 Feb 2017

You know what makes emotional dramas work for me? When I empathize with the characters and see them experiencing emotional moments. Well, despite all the praise that Casey Affleck has gotten (and will probably continue to get) for his role in Manchester by the Sea, his performance did not work for me.

He is utterly blank throughout the entire film. I realize this is intentional, because based on his past he's supposed to be empty inside, but I can't sense the deeper meaning to his bored attitude anywhere in his performance.

He's too low-key, too monotone. It is only the script that is desperately trying to make me equate emotional meaning to his blandness. His nephew, played by Lucas Hedges, isn't much better. He plays an obnoxious teenager who kept making me roll my eyes, and in the moment he finally shows emotion it was hollow because (I'm sorry to say) he's not a very good actor.

The most genuine emotional moments in the film came from Michelle Williams in her handful of scenes. I will say that I had a few details of this movie spoiled for me prior to seeing it, but I don't think they should have been enough to make the movie this lackluster.

I didn't cry once in a film that was sold to me as one of the most emotional and heartbreaking films in years. There were a few scenes that were very powerful, and I wish the rest of Manchester by the Sea lived up to those moments.

Sadly, I just don't think there was enough story nor a good enough cast to make it click for me. I seem to be in the minority, though, so take this opinion with a large grain of salt.