“Manchester by the Sea” evokes emotional response from viewers

In life, we all go through difficulties and hardships—it is a part of life. However, there are those few unlucky individuals who go through the most unimaginable tragedies, and Lee Chandler is one of those unfortunate individuals.

Directed by Kenneth Lonergan, the film “Manchester by the Sea” is hands down one of the best but one of the most tragic films I have seen in a while. During this two-hour film, you will go through a rollercoaster of emotions—sadness, grief, loneliness, loss, acceptance and the most difficult—finding humor in even the most harrowing time of one’s life.

The film begins with Chandler, played by actor Casey Affleck, who has come back to his hometown of Quincy, Mass. retunring to the tragic news of his older brother, Joe Chandler, passing away. It has been a while since Lee has been back in Quincy after moving away to take a janitorial job in Boston. Not only does he come home to the news of his brother’s passing, but Chandler finds out that Joe has made him the sole legal guardian of his teenage nephew, Patrick, since the mother is out of the picture.

Chandler is left to deal with difficult decisions, from meeting with lawyers and making funeral arrangements to figuring out how to live this new “normal” with a teenage kid in the house of his late brother. Not only is Chandler struggling to deal with the present, but he is also having to revisit his difficult past. In another life, Chandler lived happily in Quincy with his three kids and wife Randi. As the story unravels, we start to see how much has changed from that time in history to what his life is like now.

Scene by scene, you watch as how one man goes from being at one of his happiest moments to the sad and quiet man he is today. The film not only explores the theme of loss and death but also does a great job of bringing to light the process and journey of grief—specifically male grieving. Chandler grew up in an environment where men are not able to express their emotions so easily and outwardly,and Lonergan does an astounding job of portraying that in the film.

If I had to describe this film in one word, it would be heartbreaking. I may have teared up one or twice. Okay, maybe like 12 times, but I will say Lonergan also does a great job of incorporating some humor into this film, especially in the scenes between Chandler and his nephew Patrick, who are just two men trying to figure out life after a terrible tragedy.

From the times where Chandler forgot where he had parked the car to awkward conversations about girls at dinner, this movie will quite literally make you laugh and cry at the same time. As always, remarkable acting, especially by Affleck who deservedly won an Academy Award for Best Actor. Beautiful cinematography showing all the beautiful sights of New England. From the way the movie was shot to the colors depicted in the film, it does such a beautiful job of reflecting the character’s emotions artistically.

Overall, I would rate this movie 5/5 stars. A beautiful work of art that I recommend everyone to watch at least once.