Manchester by the Sea

Film: Manchester by the Sea

Starring: Casey Affleck (Interstellar), Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine) and Lucas Hedges (Kill the Messenger)

Director: Kenneth Lonergan (You Can Count on Me)

U.S. Release: November 18th, 2016 (Limited - Rated R)

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 137 minutes

As usual, the Philadelphia Film Festival debuted numerous Oscar contenders in my hometown this past October. One such film destined for the big-time and right near the top of my wish-list was Kenneth Lonergan's heavy drama, Manchester by the Sea. As a longtime fan of both Casey Affleck and Michelle Williams, the buzz around their performances left me more than eager to ride along this emotional roller coaster.

Lee Chandler (Affleck) is an embittered apartment complex handyman living in the Boston area. But after receiving word that his brother has passed away from heart complications, Lee travels back to his hometown of Manchester and soon learns that he's been willed as the new legal guardian to his teenage nephew (Lucas Hedges). While the teen wishes to remain in Manchester, Lee struggles to come to grips with past events that prompted him to uproot his entire life in the first place.

Manchester by the Sea's hard-hitting and somber story is masterfully complemented with subtle humor that adds a much-needed element of levity. In fact, two of the film's strongest attributes are writer and director Kenneth Lonergan's bold script and its collect of extraordinary performances. Casey Affleck's gut-wrenching turn is an absolute tour-de-force that possesses a quiet sadness which mirrors his character's scarred past. Understanding the complexities of Lee Chandler clearly takes time to develop but, after all of the pieces are finally in place, there's no doubt that Affleck's performance is one of the year's finest, if not the best. Co-star Michelle Williams isn't quite given the same attention or screen time as her counterpart, however her deeply emotional work doesn't go unnoticed. Although it's safe to anticipate strong runs to the Academy Awards for the aforementioned performers, newcomer Lucas Hedges also impresses with an eye-eopening supporting role. All in all, Manchester by the Sea captures its audience with a tender screenplay brought to life by an outstanding ensemble.

Despite its many shining qualities, Lonergan's effort struggles to sufficiently engage the audience. Manchester feels every bit of its over two hour and fifteen minute running time. The film presents countless lulls that occasionally benefit this character-driven effort, but often stand out as gaps in an otherwise well-crafted story. Furthermore, Kenneth Lonergan's name is constantly being tossed around the Best Director discussion. To the contrary, Manchester feels like a safely shot and executed feature. Lonergan doesn't take many risks and, while he should be lauded for piecing together a strong final product, this directorial effort fails to stand out as something spectacular.

Manchester by the Sea deserves to be savored for its wonderful performances and a story that goes surprisingly deep. Yet, the film isn't always an enjoyable watch. There's a grim undertone at work and poor pacing doesn't necessarily make it any easier to sit through. However, when the dust settles, Manchester by the Sea stands apart as a bitter drama that effectively captures a wide array of emotions.

Stars: 3 stars out of 4

Grade: B+

The Glass Castle

Destin Cretton is anything but a household name. Yet, the gifted filmmaker turned heads with his massively overlooked 2013 drama, Short Term 12 . The effort bridged together Cretton's singular story and vision with the remarkable acting talents of Brie Larson. Since then Larson has gone on to win an Academy Award ( Room ), but her career comes full circle in her latest collaboration with Destin Cretton in the adapted film The Glass Castle . Told non-chronologically through various flashbacks, The Glass Castle follows the unconventional childhood of gossip columnist and eventual Best-Selling author Jeannette Walls (Larson). Prior to her career as a writer, Walls grows up under the dysfunctional supervision of her alcoholic father (Woody Harrelson) and her amateur artist mother (Naomi Watts). But as Jeannette and her siblings begin to mature and fully comprehend their squatter-lifestyle and impoverished upbringing, they must work together to escape the clutches of their deadbeat par

FILOSOFI KOPI 2 : BEN & JODY (2017) REVIEW : Revisi Nilai Hidup Untuk Sebuah Kedai Kopi

Kisah pendek yang diambil dari Dewi Lestari ini telah dibudidayakan menjadi sebuah produk yang namanya sudah mahsyur. Selain film, produk dari Filosofi Kopi ini diabadikan menjadi sebuah kedai kopi yang nyata. Dengan adanya konsistensi itu, tak akan kaget apabila film yang diarahkan oleh Angga Dwimas Sasongko ini akan mendapatkan sekuel sebagai perlakuan selanjutnya. Tentu, kekhawatiran akan muncul karena cerita pendek dari Filosofi Kopi pun hanya berhenti di satu sub bab yang telah dibahas di film pertamanya. Sayembara muncul ditujukan kepada semua orang untuk membuat kisah lanjutan dari Ben dan Jody ini. Sayembara ini sekaligus memberikan bukti kepada semua orang bahwa Filosofi Kopi tetap menjadi film yang terkonsentrasi dari penonton seperti film pertamanya. Yang jelas, Angga Dwimas Sasongko tetap mengarahkan Chicco Jericho dan juga Rio Dewanto sebagai Ben dan Jody. Angga Dwimas Sasongko pun berkontribusi dalam pembuatan naskah dari cerita terpilih yang ditulis oleh Jenny Jusuf s

DVD Outlook: August 2017

It appears August is rather barren with new DVD and streaming options ( July's suggestions ). Thankfully, a hot slate of diverse theatrical offerings such as The Big Sick , Dunkirk , War for the Planet of the Apes , Spider-Man: Homecoming and so much more, you can find a worthwhile movie to enjoy no matter what your personal preference may be. Either way, here's a look at what's available on DVD and streaming services this month. Alien: Covenant - 3 stars out of 4 - ( Read my full review here ) Earlier this year Ridley Scott returned to his storied Alien universe once again with the follow-up to 2012's Prometheus . In the latest installment, Scott and company shift their efforts from cryptic to visceral and disturbing with a bloody and twisted affair that feels immensely more horror-based than its predecessor. While on a colonizing mission to jump-start the humanity on a distant planet, crew members of the Covenant are awoken from their hibernation state following

MOVIE SYNOPSIS

Search This Blog