"Manchester By The Sea" Review - A Tearful Ride To Reality

Boy do you want to talk about a brilliant movie.

“Manchester By The Sea” is how an indie film should be done. So many times, these kinds of movies have such a planned script, with overacted performances, no music at all, and long pauses that just make sitting through indies so uncomfortable and boring. Not “Manchester”. What makes this film so superior is the writing. If I could give a Nobel peace prize to any screenplay, it would be this one. The writing in this piece of art is not forced, nor is it too sloppy for a 10 year old. When you hear each line of dialogue, it’s like listening to a regular human conversation. No dramatization, and no stupid gimmicks. The script is unique and it’s as human as any human being. Yes, it is a hearbreaking story, but it doesn't feel sappy at all.

It also helps when every actor in this movie, especially Casey Affleck, just takes this script and calls each line as it’s their own. It makes the characters more believable and more humane, especially with such a heartbreaking story such as this one. Besides the random cameo from Matthew Broderick, which I didn’t understand at all, each actor besides Casey is unknown, which is good because you don’t think about these people as different characters. You think of these people as ones you’d see on the street.

All and all, it’s kind of hard to put into words how beautiful this film is. I keep using the word, “human” a lot, but it’s true. It’s one of the most relatable movies anybody will watch this year because it is relatable both in terms of our personalities and our lives. And that’s something that’s difficult for any director/writer to achieve.

Two Nebs Up!