Manchester By The Sea (*****)

One of my all-time favorite movie scenes is in 1980's "Ordinary People." The story follows Conrad, a high school student who is dealing with the sudden death of his brother and living with two parents who have no idea how to cope. Behind a picturesque middle-class facade, things are slowly unraveling. The final moments of the film, after we learn that Conrad's parents have decided to separate, shows him and his father in a quiet and cold backyard. Even though these two have rarely seen eye-to-eye, and in a conclusion where everything seems hopeless, Conrad simply tells his father "I love you," and in response his father breaks down and says the same. I think the reason I love this scene so much is because it offers a movie so full of darkness the slightest suggestion of hope. It suggests that the love of family is still stronger and cannot be overcome.

I only mention this scene and "Ordinary People" in particular because almost 40 years later here is a movie that is a spiritual equal. "Manchester By The Sea" is a massive undertaking that deals with loss in such an intimate way that it would be hard to call it anything but profound. There is something entirely universal everyone can grasp and yet watching this movie feels like a peek into a very real life of a family.

Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is a man whose life is stagnant. He works as a handyman in a series of apartment buildings, fixing leaking pipes and whatnot. He lives in a basement studio apartment that is sparsely decorated and lifeless. He drinks by himself, and he is rude to those around him. In the first half of this film, Lee is not a character we understand or even like. In fact, he is oftentimes despicable. He gets into bar fights and swears at women. When he takes a phone call to learn of his brother's sudden death, he calmly says he will get there within the hour.

Manchester-by-the-Sea (the town's actual name) is where Lee seemingly grew up, raised a family, as evidence by many flashbacks that pepper the film with glimpses into his memory. We recall the moment when his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler) was first diagnosed with congenital heart disease, or when he took his nephew Patrick on a fishing boat. Now in the present time, Patrick is a high school student with no mother and only Lee as his seeming guardian.

The movie becomes an evaluation of the stages of grief and we focus on the relationship between uncle and nephew. Lee, who remains shut off from the community, and Patrick, who invites friends over for pizza and stories on the very day his father died. No one is to say which way is the preferred method for mourning, and of course the emotions begin a series of highs and lows as the two men begin the process of moving on with life. Lee, who is adamant about living in Boston, faces pushback from Patrick who is adamant about finishing high school in Manchester among friends. Here, he has a boat, friends, a band, and two girlfriends (I know). In Boston, all Lee has is a sad apartment. There's no arguing there.

What is surprising about the film (where can I start) is the stark humor that comes amidst moments of such melancholy. This is easily a story that could have sunk into our hearts and left us feeling cold, but there is a joy that comes from the way these characters talk to each other and interact. There is an established history that is evidence in the writing. What else is mesmerizing is a score that incorporates classical pieces as opposed to an original soundtrack. There is something so powerful about the contrast between the New England setting and such complex music. Maybe more impressive still is the tight structure of the script, which weaves back and forth through time and gives us such a sense of depth and backstory. Kenneth Lonergan (the director and screenwriter) has surely written the favorite for an Oscar nomination.

Casey Affleck, an actor of considerable talent, seems to have finally become his own person outside the shadow of his brother. His performance is quite simply jaw-dropping. Closed in and reclusive and yet with hints of a broken heart, there are glances and gestures that are so nuanced that you can't help but think that this could be the best performance of the year. As with Michelle Williams playing his wife, this could very easily be her best role to date. Her brief screen time in all but 4 or 5 scenes encompasses the themes of the film and reveal the deeper heartbreak just below the surface of their relationship. The same can be said of Lucas Hedges playing Patrick, a young actor full of promise and grace.

There were several scenes when I found myself genuinely moved, mouth agape at how honest this movie actually was. When Patrick finally comes to term with his father's loss while looking for a snack... When Lee and his wife exchange a hug at the funeral and a surge of emotion sweeps through both of them... A scene where Lee picks up a gun... These are candid moments that are so real, so perfect, I can't help but think that "Manchester by the Sea" is the year's best film.