'Manchester by the Sea' - A Story of Grief

When discussing movies that resemble real-life and bear sincere emotion, 'Manchester by the Sea' comes to mind. A film that focuses on the grief of individuals in an incredibly real and vivid way. I have seen this film three times; each time crying inconsolably. The framing, writing, and acting all pool together to ensure an impassioned, cathartic experience that grips me to no end.

Released for the 2017 Oscars, 'Manchester by the Sea' shares the palpable experience of Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), a janitor in Quincy, Massachusetts, riddled with grief over the death of his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler). Along with the loss of his brother, Lee must come to terms with taking care of his teenage son Patrick (Lucas Hedges); who both realistically go through the stages of grief together, simultaneously learning to live with one another.

A simple plot, yes, but the way it presents the themes of grief is unlike any other film that I have seen. There are many things this film does right, but what I want to focus on is how director Kenneth Lonergan uses realism to frame the impact of grief on his characters. Lonergan implements a style of cinematography that primarily uses wide shots to convey a more realistic approach rather than teary close-ups. He obscures dialogue with music, creates distance with slow motion, and even disrupts various scenes with offset humor. This style of filmmaking directly contrasts with the golden standard of a Hollywood drama. Most scenes in the film feel untampered with and devoid of forced emotion, which tricks us to think it is more real than it is. Realistic stories sever the ties between the audience and the screen creating a deeper, more cathartic experience.

Coming back to Manchester, Lee has to revisit a tragic past that he purposely tried to bury and leave behind. Revisiting the tragedy, in combination with the death of his brother, produces plausible validation for grief to occur. As the story unfolds it becomes more and more emotional until the audience breaks down in tears from a scene without cue. The reason I love this film is a similar reason I am bothered by Felix van Groeningen's 'Beautiful Boy.' Unlike 'Beautiful Boy,' there are no overdramatic pan-ins and deep Hollywood scores to cue emotion; 'Manchester by the Sea' in itself knows the story is tragic and depressing and it leads with those raw emotions. The accuracy of real events is almost overwhelmingly real at times: loud babies crying at funerals, ambulance stretchers not working, disengaged loved ones at funerals, etc. This movie knows how life works, it knows how to handle its audience, and it will always expose my raw emotion.