We Need To Talk About MANCHESTER BY THE SEA

[Jordan Catalano]

While 2016 was one of the worst years ever, at least it's been a great year for film, as evidenced by this film. Who knew that Casey Affleck would be the one to turn in the best performance of the year? But it's also the best thing Kenneth Lonergan has ever done, (and I never thought he'd be able to top YOU CAN COUNT ON ME) and with a small role, the same can easily be said for Michelle Williams.

 

But add this to your list of things to see, guys. That 98% it had on Rotten Tomatoes is so well deserved.  

 

[BakerWilliams]

This is the best movie since Lonergan's previous masterpiece, Margaret

[AwesomeDanny]

I've been excited about this film all year. Margaret is my favorite film in recent memory. It thrills me to see all of this great buzz, but I'm fearful it may not live up to the hype of a year's anticipation. Regardless, after Margaret didn't get the recognition it deserved, I'm happy to see this make up for it. I will be seeing it this weekend, when it starts playing near me.

[Jordan Catalano]

That was my fear EXACTLY, with this film. But it most certainly lives up to everything being said about it. It's a pretty brutal 135 minutes, though. Sometimes it feels like someone is just repeatedly punching you in the gut.

[SmoothLover]

Cannot wait to see it!

[Auggie27]

No spoiler.  It's a story about our obsession with a lie, or at least an unworkable intellectual construct: "closure." We live in a culture that believes irresolution is impossible, that closing, finishing, moving on is the highest achievement. This film dares to say: not so fast. And even: without closure there is still life. And even hope.

It's just a heartbreaker, and yet so filled with quotidian survival skills it inspires.  Unmissable.  But stay away from reviews and too much analysis.  The NY Times went full bore election on it, race and gender specific commentary, dragging in white male economic anxiety, which is not remotely what this film is about. 

[Fantod]

The film is about how many times can a movie make Fantod cry

 

The answer is several dozen times.

[mc1227]

Lonergan continues to do on film what he has done for stage.  Humanism is the ultimate reality show and Lonergan captures it perfectly each and every time.  Truly underrated talent that doesn't write the typical fairy tale but shows the bruises and continues to press those bruises.  In a time of total BS, he and his work continues to resonate my mind and my soul.  I am hoping that his  indie movies continue to produce the quality that Hollywood so lacks.  

[pushdabutton]

I saw this movie this afternoon and thought it was outstanding. Casey Affleck is an incredible actor and does not receive the recognition he deserves in my opinion.

[TotallyEffed]

This one shattered my heart.

[Jane2]

I wanted to go, but changed my mind. Not a fan of tear jerkers.

[Someone in a Tree2]

If it's any consolation, Jane, none of my tears were jerked by this generally quite fine movie. I found it admirable, realistic, carefully observed and nuanced, even fascinating at times, but not particularly emotional for me. It felt to me like that dryer, arms-length tone was actually the specific choice Kenneth Lonergan was making every step of the way here, and especially in getting us to the final reel. If you're not a fan of tearjerkers, I'd say you'd still be fine seeing this one. 

Now ARRIVAL was one recent movie that easily earned my tears-- and boy was I grateful for that experience!

[east side story]

The film is a masterpiece.

 

I am certain she will lose to thirsty Viola Davis, but I want Michelle Williams to win every Supporting Actress trophy around.

[Jane2]

Someone in a tree, that's good to hear, because literally everyone I know cried through the whole thing. 

[The Glenbuck Laird]

Manchester is full of ****

[ErikJ972]

Considering what happened with Nate Parker and Birth Of A Nation I"m surprised this isn't being talked about. 

Or not so surprised I guess.

Why the Casey Affleck Sexual-Harassment Allegations Just Won’t Stick

http://nymag.com/thecut/2016/11/why-the-casey-affleck-sex-harassment-allegations-wont-stick.html

[henrikegerman]

I loved this movie (and Moonlight and La La as well).
I can't quite claim though that I know what to make of Lesley Barber's choices for the score.  Curious what other fans of the movie felt about the music.  I actually liked the music (or at least didn't mind it), but I'm not quite sure how it served the film. 

[haterobics]

Loved it, but when the end credits started out here in the sticks, several people audible cried out "that's it?!" and "you've got to be kidding me...", so I guess some people were really holding out for the Hollywood ending that was never remotely promised as being on the horizon.

[ArtMan]

I saw this today.  Liked it alot but didn't love it.  I was expecting to be blown away emotionally, but other than one or two scenes that I shed a tear, that was it.  Casey was great in this.  I didn't love Michelle's performance as much as the rest of you.  I'm a big fan and her performance was good, but I didn't see an Oscar winning performance, regardless of who is nominated with her.  I agree she should be at least nominated.  Maybe if the director had included a flashback confrontational scene with Casey (as they later alluded to) soon after ......  I would be on her bandwagon.

[Roscoe]

I'll cop to finding the ending rather, shall we say, abrupt, which I'm sure was the point, and which didn't detract from my enjoyment of what had gone before.  A splendid film by any measure, dealing with sensitive subject matter without ever once crossing the line into tear-jerking self-satisfied emo-wanking Spielbergian grossness.