THERE ARE SOME SPOILERS IN THE REVIEW.
Hello readers,
I am back with another review on Manchester By The Sea, which I finally got the time to watched it after so long due to school work and presentations. Manchester By The Sea starred Casey Affleck in his wide acclaimed performance as Lee Chandler who had to deal with raising the nephew, Patrick (portrayed by Lucas Hedges) after his father passed away. As the story unfolds, the audience get to learned more about Lee's life including how and what makes his character seemed aloof and how the bond strengthened day by day between his character and Patrick as they lived under the same roof and deal with life.
Unlike most films I have seen on the topic of mundane life and appreciation, Manchester By The Sea is told in a heartfelt and honest storytelling. How honest the film was that it revolves around this man who felt that he could not live up to the responsibility of taking care of someone younger, out of fear and guilt from the past. I thought Casey Affleck's performance as Lee Chandler was great as the journey unfold, we seen bits and parts of his character which you feel that you could simply sympathied. This could be seen when Lee was in the police station where he recalled what had happened on the night his children were engulfed in the fire. You could see his guilt, shame and sadness in that one meeting-like room with the detectives paying full attention, and after that Lee took the gun and wanted to kill himself due to the driven guilt and fault. Imaging your children died in the house fire that you could have avoided and your spouse blaming you for everything which led to the breakdown of marriage, it is understandable why Lee chose to live a life which does not required him to hold on to something; that sense of responsibility and decision-making.
Similarly, Michelle Williams' short screen time performance as Lee's ex-wife was great. However, due to the fact that her character, Randi, did not appear for at least half an hour throughout the film, I felt her Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress is not worthwhile. If I were to be heavily convinced, then I would pick the scene where her character asked Lee whether could they have lunch together someday and her breakdown of feeling awful for him; all the blamings and mistakes she made when their marriage fell apart. For Hedges' performance as Patrick, I thought he and Affleck were enjoyable to watch as their characters lived under the same roof and slowly get to know one another. While the initial getting along was difficult, by the end of the day, Patrick and Lee at least gotten themselves very acquainted to the extent they have fishing together just like how they would in the past. All in all, the special bond between Patrick and Lee is what made Manchester By The Sea rather interesting; honest, forthright and lighthearted despite the sad flashbacks.
While Manchester By The Sea provides beautiful captured locations of the town with a combination of magical filming (very aesthetically pleasing) and cinematography, the film's emotional capability did suffer because of the soundtrack used. There is something disturbing about the music composed. It actually distracted me from trying to understand the degree of emotions experienced by the characters and their environment. The music lacked an element which does not allow audience like myself to pick up the right emotions felt and hence, blocking the supposed emotional capability which films like The Danish Girl and The Imitation Game have succeeded in. The conclusion of the film was also anti-climax, however I would give it a benefit of doubt because the film draws from life. It is neither dramatic nor supposed to end with some kind of bombastic ending.
To sum up the review, Manchester By The Sea is a good and heartfelt film with excellent clear cut directing and simple storyline revolving around the main character who has to come in terms with what is happening around him. While some people are able to moved on from the past, there are some who felt they could not live up to people's expectations. Lee was expected to take care of his nephew based on his brother's will, hopefully as a way to get him out of the life cycle he lived in after his children died in the fire and the breakdown of his marriage. He did what he could to take care of Patrick, however the past got the best of him and he felt he was not capable of being a guardian. Sometimes the past is too painful for a person to let go, especially when it involves your loved ones and certain situations could have been avoided. After all, we are humans and we make mistakes that either could be forgiven or hard to forget.
To live with the guilt, it is already painful enough and to ask someone to simply faced their own fear from the past, that is something which is easier said than done, and we can all relate to that.
Ratings: 7/10
