Manchester by the Sea

Manchester by the Sea (2016) is a tribute to grief; this film creates a moment of respite for those who have forgotten to grieve, and for those who started the grieving process, yet neglected to see it to its end.

Casey Affleck plays Lee, a grieving father who refuses to forgive himself for his sins – a sin that many would agree is unforgivable. Like many sins this undoable error began as a simple mistake. He lost his children in a house fire caused by his drunken carelessness. Here is where we see themes of regret and acceptance of the daunting reality that what is done cannot be undone. When the police file no charges, correctly deducing that this was a tragic mistake, he attempts to take his own life inside the police station, in a scene that can best be described as remarkably crafted, and powerfully meaningful. This film sits at the crossroads of loss, grief, guilt, and, eventually, hope and love.

Soon we see another loss in Lee’s life, where he is charged with caring for his teenage nephew, Patrick. Almost effortlessly, the plot moves into an homage to family dynamics and the complexities of what it means to care for each other; not in spite of the characters’ imperfections, but because of them. Lee grows as a person and a father when he realizes that in order to function and to do what is right by his nephew, he must begin the path of self-forgiveness. A path that seems impossible, as if his grief is the boulder that Sisyphus was tasked with – except Lee wholeheartedly believed he deserved his punishment. That he must live in guilt, that happiness was no longer an option.

Throughout the film further themes of depression, alcoholism, redemption, and love are explored. There is subtlety in the film’s focus, such as how time is the best medicine for some ailments, but not all of them. The film shows that hard work must be done to overcome our pain, but those who refuse to forgive themselves fall into the trap of ruining their own potential, their ability to love and express that love to their family. The question of if his actions are forgivable, or if he should forgive himself, becomes meaningless as the importance of stepping up to his new task takes priority.

By the end, this film encapsulates the beauty of imperfection, the reality of how devastating our mistakes can be, and how everyone sometimes needs a reminder that they have permission to live.

Kenneth Lonergan, the brilliant mind that helped bring us You Can Count on Me (2000), and Gangs of New York (2002), brings to life an unforgettable and devastating piece of art that goes into depths of emotion that the audience might not expect. Some things are hard to put to words – the loss of his children, how he blames himself – but this film's profundity is often found in the silence between conversations, the demeanor and expressions in people’s bodies and attitudes.

Manchester by the Sea (2016) is a masterpiece, honored with several Academy Awards, a BAFTA award, and countless nominations.

9.4/10

2016 Directed by Kenneth Lonergan