Manchester by the Sea (2016)

A slow movie - build a lot of background. Depicting real emotions with slowly converging plot to the main message. One thing you realize after watching the movie is intense lifelong pain a silly mistake can lead you to.

"Manchester by the Sea" is a sensational drama that was nominated for 6 Academy Awards including the Best Motion Picture of the Year, and won two of them; Best Original Screenplay, Kenneth Lonergan, and Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, Casey Affleck. When I start watching the film, I had no information about it, I didn't know what the story is about, I didn't even know there is a place called "Manchester by the Sea," in Massachusetts. After a couple of scenes, there was one thing I was sure of, Casey Affleck has won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his exceptional role as Lee Chandler. His performance is one of the best performances of the 21th Century, and "Manchester by the Sea" is one of the best films of the year 2016. It is so annoying that I came across this beautiful film accidentally. I haven't seen any commercials about it, I haven't heard anyone talking about it. I was making a list of Oscar Nominated films, and there I found it. "Manchester by the Sea" was written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. It has 137 minutes of runtime and grossed over $77 Million against a budget of $8 Million. This film is a slap in the face for the critics who claim cinema can't produce any more original stories. It is also a strong proof of the fact that you don't need big budgets to make beautiful films.In the first 10 minutes, the director helps you sympathize with the main character of the film, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck). You get the feeling that even you meet him in real life, he is not going to be your friend. He doesn't care anything else other than his business. You can see the constant sorrow in his eyes, and sadness is all over him. Immediately you get to think that, there is something wrong with this man, something has happened in his past. This intense description of the protagonist in the early scenes of the film indicates that his emotional self is going to set the limits for the "Manchester by the Sea." The more you understand, the more you relate to the story. That's why director pays special attention to the character details. After this intense visual description, director starts to reveal the mystery over Lee, by showing us flashbacks from his past. After this point, story evolves with two directions, present and past. Everything starts to make sense about Lee's inner self. This storytelling technique is one of the reasons why "Manchester by the Sea" is nominated for The Best Motion Picture of the Year. A similar storytelling technique is used in Christopher Nolan's Memento.Lee works as a janitor and a handyman in a different part of Massachusetts. He receives a phone call about his brother who has a heart condition. When he reaches the hospital, which is 90 minutes away from where Lee lives, he finds out that his brother has passed away. In his will, he assigns Lee as the legal guardian for his teenage son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Through the flashbacks, we understand the relations and life of Lee. He used to be married with three kids. One evening, after intense drinking with his friends in his place, he goes out to buy more beer and forgets to put the screen protection for the fire place which he just lighted up to heat the house for his kids. House burns down and all his three kids die. During this scene, there is almost no talking and if I am not mistaken, in the background Bach's Air is playing. Such a tragedy was shown with a relaxing and equally emotional classical music. Throughout the film, there are other scenes accompanied by classical music.Imagine yourself as Lee, your life is destroyed. You kill your three kids by burning the house by mistake. Your brother dies, your wife divorces you, when you can barely take care of yourself, you are asked to take care of another human being. No one wants you in the town you used to live and, under these circumstances, Lee manages to survive. His soul is damaged, he doesn't feel humane feelings anymore, but he manages to survive. This is one of the most realistic films about people who survive through such tragedies in life. It is a beautifully made true drama. With exceptional performances and cold atmosphere that suits the progression of the story, "Manchester by the Sea" is one of the best films of 2016 and it is not going to be easily forgotten once watched.

If your day was going well and you had a smile on your face just watch this film and that will completely change. Not a single shred of sunshine or cheer in this pile of garbage.

Definitely an oscar-winning performance by Casey Afleck as the troubled Lee. Wonderfully understated with the plot developed in a current and flash back time lines, interwoven with minimalist dialogue. As the film develops the central character's history becomes clearer, until a key scene makes sense of a lot of the proceeding narrative. There's no easy or trite answers here, as grief, guilt, change and redemption combine to a close where some although some resolution is achieved it's not all neatly packaged. Wonderful scoring throughout and cinematography build a compelling atmosphere throughout. It won't be for everyone, that's for sure, but for me this is film-making as it should be - artistic, meaningful and moving, where the unspoken and the visual combine to create the overall narrative. Wonderful.