Review of Manchester by the Sea (2016) by Stariban — 26 Feb 2017

Life goes on. Sometimes it's ugly, sometimes dull, boring, mundane, routine, pathetic, depressive, devastating, etc. Sometimes you barely fit in and then things get even worse and everything is like a snowball, and you have to deal with it. Or give out.

I guess this movie is an attempt to picture this different side of life. A story of Lee Chandler, a man with a hole in his heart twice as big as Massachusetts, a man who is trying hard to get along with some miserable events in his past, trying gravely, awkwardly. Life throws in new hardships, it's getting really hard to handle but he moves on, stoically, submissively. All the movie I wondered what's in Lee's head, what was it that helped him move on - an intense call of duty? A case of unparalleled courage? A silent inertial motion? Inability to put an end to all of this due to fear of death? A blind hope that things will turn around? An everlasting love of life? All of it?

All in all it's not about a particular man that grins and bears all of it, it's a bittersweet symphony for so many people who has to deal with some really tough life challenges. For many of us at times.

P.S. It somehow reminds me of This is England TV series. Of course it's not the same but the idea that at times life is not that beautiful is pretty much the same.