The story takes place in the present, while the narrative includes flashbacks that inform the viewer of significant events from the past and the characters’ motivations. The protagonist is Lee Chandler, a janitor and handyman, who lives a solitary life in a basement apartment in Quincy, Massachusetts. The movie opens with scenes of him performing tasks for tenants of the apartment complex where he works. His interaction with them is minimal. After being reprimanded by his boss for swearing at an irritated tenant, he gets into a drunken bar fight with two businessmen believing they were “looking” at him.
Lee receives word that his brother Joe has suffered a cardiac arrest, but he dies before Lee can get to the hospital. Lee insists on being the one to tell Joe’s teenage son, Patrick, about his father’s death. While making funeral arrangements, they learn that Joe’s body cannot be buried until spring when the ground thaws. Lee opts to remain in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts until the delayed burial.
At Joe’s lawyer’s office, Lee is shocked to discover that his brother named him Patrick’s legal guardian. During the scene, the viewer is shown — through flashbacks — that Lee once lived in Manchester with his then-wife Randi and their three small children. His negligence, however, while intoxicated led to a house fire that killed the children. No criminal charges were filed against him.
However, after being questioned at the police station, Lee grabbed a gun from an officer’s holster and attempted suicide. In light of these events, Lee is reluctant to commit to the guardianship and unwilling to move back to Manchester, where the locals treat him as an outcast. He begins planning for Patrick to move to Boston with him. Patrick is deeply rooted in the Manchester community and strongly objects to the idea. Lee commits to staying only through the end of the school year.
Over time, Patrick and Lee re-establish their bond, although conflict continues between them when it comes to making decisions about Joe’s boat, Patrick’s girlfriends, and their future living arrangements. Through flashbacks, Patrick’s mother Elise is shown to have had substance abuse problems and abandoned the family, so Lee is opposed to Patrick reconnecting with her. Even so, Patrick emails Elise about Joe’s death, and she invites him to have lunch with her.
She has committed to Christianity and sobriety with her fiancé, Jeffrey, but during an awkward meal with them, Patrick finds himself unable to connect with her. He is unsettled further when Jeffrey emails him, insisting on being an intermediary in any future communication between Patrick and his mother. Lee’s subsequent positive comments about Elise’s sobriety lead Patrick to believe his uncle is trying to get rid of him, assertions Lee denies. In response to this strain in their relationship, Lee takes steps to possibly extend his stay in Manchester, and begins to seek ways to spend more time with Patrick.
Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American drama film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, and starring Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Lucas Hedges. The film’s plot follows a man after his brother dies and he is entrusted with caring for his teenage nephew. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2016, and was soon picked up by Amazon Studios for distribution. Manchester by the Sea was filmed in the Massachusetts town of the same name as well as Beverly, Essex, Gloucester, Swampscott, Lynn, Middleton, Tewksbury, and Salem, Massachusetts. It began a limited release on November 18, 2016, before a wide release on December 16, 2016. It grossed $77 million worldwide against an $8.5 million budget.
The film received critical praise and was widely counted among the best films of 2016. Critics particularly complimented the performances of Affleck, Williams and Hedges, as well as Lonergan’s screenplay and direction. At the 89th Academy Awards, the film won awards for Best Actor (Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay with additional nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Hedges), and Best Supporting Actress (Williams). Affleck also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and the film itself was nominated in four other categories at the Golden Globes.
Manchester by the Sea
Directed by: Kenneth Lonergan
Starring: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges, Liam McNeill, Heather Burns, Tate Donovan, Josh Hamilton, Gretchen Mol, Mary Mallen, Anna Baryshnikov
Screenplay by: Kenneth Lonergan
Production Design by: Ruth De Jong
Cinematography by: Jody Lee Lipes
Film Editing by: Jennifer Lame
Costume Design by: Melissa Toth
Set Decoration by: Florencia Martin
Art Direction by: Jourdan Henderson
Music by: Lesley Barber
MPAA Rating: R for language throughout and some sexual content.
Studio: Roadside Attractions, Amazon Studios
Release Date: November 18, 2016
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