Manchester by the Sea is a slice-of-life, straight drama set in Boston's suburban North Shore area. It is a tragedy as much about a place as the people living in it. Filmed on location, the nautical backdrop provides a realistic glimpse into the way of life in those parts, i.e. a fishing village culture. It's Good Will Hunting meets Young Adult.
Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Gone Baby Gone) plays with type as the hotheaded janitor with a dark past. There are cameos from Matthew Broderick, Michelle Williams, Tate Donovan, and Gretchen Moll. Newcomer Lucas Hedges steals the show as the grieving ginger nephew forced onto Affleck's hands pursuant to the will of his deceased brother. Therein lies the plot, albeit deconstructionist.
The biggest drawback for me was the nonlinear storytelling. To be sure, Manchester is a slow burn. It has its moments of poignancy and dramatic irony. Like any good Boston picture, there are plenty of dropped Rs and local references. One mistake that got past the cutting room was the line "You're a janitor in Quincy." Quincy is a separate city from Boston, where the protagonist was supposed to be doing his janitorial penance. He is depressed.
Regret, loss, substance abuse, heartbreak, life going on, coming of age (getting laid), the awkwardness of forced small talk, replacement, boating, and family are the central themes. Some of the characters were needlessly introduced without developing their story arcs or serving as plot points. Fair warning, there is a lot of profanity. Manchester is about going back to your hometown, in this case, the titular town being a metaphor for facing the past. The future remained uncertain, leading up to the culmination, of what to do with the living situation and legal guardianship arrangements. The tone was wry. Like life, the story is messy. I think that was the point.
Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Gone Baby Gone) plays with type as the hotheaded janitor with a dark past. There are cameos from Matthew Broderick, Michelle Williams, Tate Donovan, and Gretchen Moll. Newcomer Lucas Hedges steals the show as the grieving ginger nephew forced onto Affleck's hands pursuant to the will of his deceased brother. Therein lies the plot, albeit deconstructionist.
The biggest drawback for me was the nonlinear storytelling. To be sure, Manchester is a slow burn. It has its moments of poignancy and dramatic irony. Like any good Boston picture, there are plenty of dropped Rs and local references. One mistake that got past the cutting room was the line "You're a janitor in Quincy." Quincy is a separate city from Boston, where the protagonist was supposed to be doing his janitorial penance. He is depressed.
Regret, loss, substance abuse, heartbreak, life going on, coming of age (getting laid), the awkwardness of forced small talk, replacement, boating, and family are the central themes. Some of the characters were needlessly introduced without developing their story arcs or serving as plot points. Fair warning, there is a lot of profanity. Manchester is about going back to your hometown, in this case, the titular town being a metaphor for facing the past. The future remained uncertain, leading up to the culmination, of what to do with the living situation and legal guardianship arrangements. The tone was wry. Like life, the story is messy. I think that was the point.