Manchester by the Sea is a gut-wrenching, emotionally riveting and astounding acting tour de force instant classic of a little film. Kenneth Lonergan wrote and directed this tale of a deeply troubled man who is summoned back to his hometown for his brother’s funereal, only to discover he has been named the guardian of his nephew. He can’t take care of this teenager. He can barely take care of himself.
The Oscar winning film is out now on DVD and Blu-Ray and features the performance of the year (heck, of the last few years) from star Casey Affleck. Affleck stars as Lee, the uncle who must return home to deal with the fallout from the death of his brother (Kyle Chandler). The story plays out its narrative in real time, and with shoe-horned flashbacks that slowly – but surely – shine a light on Affleck’s past and why simply being in Manchester by the Sea is making soul draining demands on him.
Lucas Hedges portrays Patrick, Lee’s nephew, who is unwilling to pack up his life and move to Quincy with his uncle… simply because his new guardian does not want to live in their hometown. Hedges has a couple of girlfriends, tons of friends, he’s on the hockey team and he is firmly ingrained in the typical life of a high schooler.
Michelle Williams portrays Affleck’s ex-wife, Randi. She’s just another scarred soul in this haunting web that Lonergan has crafted that is beyond compelling and draws you in and grabs you by the lapels and does not let you go.
How these characters are connected through familial bonds, both broken and being repaired, is a stunning menagerie of feelings that make up the human existence. This is a film that will stay with you, months and years after the credits roll. All involved have delivered performances that are beyond anything they have done before. Affleck is so worthy of that Oscar. Like we said, he delivered one of the most stunning performances we’ve seen in several years. There are depths to where he went that still haunt us. It is a turn for the ages that should be studied in acting classes for decades.
Williams rivets, as always. To call her performance heartbreaking is an understatement. We’re not sure how she recovered after going to emotional places she went for her role in Manchester by the Sea. Her Oscar nomination is a testament to its power. Hedges scored a Supporting Actor nod as well and his turn is as much of an announcement of talent as it was one that served the story.
Where Manchester by the Sea’s true power lies is in its words. Thank goodness for the actors who brought Lonergan’s prose to life. But, those words on the pages of his script are a blueprint of a perfect screenplay. He scored the Best Original Screenplay Oscar and it could not have been more deserved. What he did with his talent, imagination and heart is a testament to the human spirit. We persevere in the face of utter tragedy is a lesson that so many can identify with and one that resonates with every soul on this planet, regardless of race, creed, color or geographical locale. There are master screenplays that have come along over the history of Hollywood, and there is Manchester by the Sea.
When it comes to bonus features, there is not too much. But this is not one of those home video releases that needs a ton of featurettes beyond the film to make it a must-own. This is one of the best movies of 2016 and one of the best we’ve seen this decade. It is an absolute must that it enters your library.
The first bonus feature that caught our eye is Emotional Lives: The Making of Manchester by the Sea. It has interviews with the cast and adds layers to the nuanced performances of our stars. Delving deep into the power of all performances, the bonus featurette also explore the making of the film from a production stand point as well. Collectively, it is a stunning look at creating stunning work.
A Conversation with Director/Writer Kenneth Lonergan is as much of a commentary track as we get on this release. Given that this is Lonergan’s baby, A Conversation is required viewing after witnessing his work. Hearing him discuss, analyze and go deep into the process of making this once-in-a-lifetime film is powerful, entertaining and enthralling.
Film Grade: A+
Bonus Features: B