Review of Manchester by the Sea (2016) by Sean M — 10 May 2017

Manchester by the Sea is one of the best Oscar bait movies I have seen on a technical level. The acting is grounded and always character consistent. The character consistency is the key to the overall film's success.

Kenneth Lonergan's directorial accomplishment is utilized to anchor moments that might otherwise be drama cliché. The consistency would, of course, be an even more impossible task without an excellent cast.

Casey Affleck will undoubtedly get the quarterback like attention at the Oscars. What that comment means is that I failed to see a single bad performance from the rest of the cast. For narrative, the contemplative structure allows the viewer a chance of gaining character insight without letting most moments explicitly define the players.

A tragic event will occur and a given scene only allows a character minor fallout before a transition in time. Lonergan's script/direction doesn't need to hold the audience's hand. The cinematography is fine with an excellent focus on the little quirks one might find in a small New England town.

In addition, the blend of cinematography and location lends to the rare cinematic experience of a story feeling like it comes from a genuine place. Manchester is an uncomfortable film when it comes to dishing out any form of conclusion.

The result is a narrative more in line with postmodern sensibilities. The ending can easily be dismissed as a typical indie climax. However, the conclusion is anything but a simple artistic gimmick. Seeing the ending as a gimmick robs rewarding the narrative of its logical continuation.

In fact, I daresay Manchester by the Sea contains one of the year's best movie endings. The butterfly-like effect of grief is the central theme I pinned down. A question of, "Do I deserve my grief?" is also asked.

I can't say I admired the film as much on a personal level. The film contained a lot of scenes which were a little long for my taste. Additionally, the movie works better as an example of fine film- making over anything I can take with me in life.

Many people will see the film as a relatable experience but nothing more. I am curious as to how long the movie will stay in the minds of the average viewer. Manchester By The Sea may very well get better with age.

See the film for its cinematic accomplishments and marvel at the emotional realism.