Manchester By the Sea (15)
Five stars
Dir: Kenneth Lonergan
With: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams
Runtime: 137 minutes
KENNETH Lonergan made a name for himself some years ago when he was Oscar-nominated for his Gangs of New York and You Can Count on Me screenplays. Then it all went quiet for the writer-director. Now he’s back, and how.
Manchester By the Sea is a moving, bleakly funny, brilliantly crafted exploration of the family ties that bind, with a magnificent performance by Casey Affleck at its centre. Affleck plays Lee Chandler, a janitor. It is Lee’s lot in life to deal with the complaints of others, be it a leaky sink or blocked toilet. All important to the complainers, but Lee, as we see from the tale that unfolds, is a man who has learned hard way not to sweat the small stuff. Called back to the Massachusetts town of the title, Lee is forced to confront an event he had hoped never to revisit. He does so largely in the company of his teenage nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges), with his ex-wife (Michelle Williams) also putting in an appearance.
Lonergan’s picture could have tipped easily into mawkishness, but all concerned exercise painstaking restraint. One scene in particular between Williams and Affleck is a masterclass in how to play high-stakes drama in a low-key way.
Affleck won the best actor award at the Golden Globes last Sunday, and Manchester looks set fair for the Oscar nominations on January 24. Welcome back, Mr Lonergan.
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