I went into this movie with sky high expectations based on all the hype. But like a lot of other reviewers on this website, I was disappointed. This was one of the bleakest movies I have seen in a long time. It begins with the death of the main character's brother and then goes downhill from there. The first two thirds of the movie, which deals mainly with preparations for the brother's funeral, is slow and boring. I've had to plan two funerals after the deaths of my parents, and it's not a pleasant process. I didn't want to be reminded of all the mind numbing details that you have to go through. The movie runs long at two hours and 15 minutes, and at least ten minutes of funeral planning could have have been edited out.
In my opinion, Casey Affleck's acting is good (perhaps better than in any of his other movies) but not great. One big disappointment for me was that there is very little dramatic arc to Affleck's character. His character remains so dead inside that by the end of the movie, I had grown tired of the same expressions and reactions.
A less serious problem is the score. The music is too operatic for my taste. It is so loud and obtrusive in a few scenes that it is hard to appreciate what is going on on screen.
In fairness I need to mention a wonderful scene near the end of the movie between Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck that will almost certainly earn Williams an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. The film is worth going to see for this scene alone. I suspect that this one scene (like the bear attack in The Revenant) is responsible for leaving such a strong positive impression of this movie on the minds of many critics.
Manchester by the Sea could have been a masterpiece with leaner editing and a better story arc. But, sad to say, I can only give it a "C".
In my opinion, Casey Affleck's acting is good (perhaps better than in any of his other movies) but not great. One big disappointment for me was that there is very little dramatic arc to Affleck's character. His character remains so dead inside that by the end of the movie, I had grown tired of the same expressions and reactions.
A less serious problem is the score. The music is too operatic for my taste. It is so loud and obtrusive in a few scenes that it is hard to appreciate what is going on on screen.
In fairness I need to mention a wonderful scene near the end of the movie between Michelle Williams and Casey Affleck that will almost certainly earn Williams an Oscar nomination for best supporting actress. The film is worth going to see for this scene alone. I suspect that this one scene (like the bear attack in The Revenant) is responsible for leaving such a strong positive impression of this movie on the minds of many critics.
Manchester by the Sea could have been a masterpiece with leaner editing and a better story arc. But, sad to say, I can only give it a "C".