Manchester by the Sea (2016)
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A grief-stricken man must navigate the complexities of raising his teenage nephew following the death of his brother.
The story
Lee Chandler, a depressed and asocial janitor living in Quincy, Massachusetts, receives news that his brother Joe has died in Manchester-by-the-Sea. Lee insists on being the one to tell Joe's teenage son, Patrick, about the death. While making funeral arrangements, Lee is shocked to discover he has been named Patrick's legal guardian. The film follows the two men as they navigate their shared grief and the practicalities of their new living situation. Lee is forced to confront his own past in the town of Manchester, while Patrick struggles with his identity and his relationship with his estranged mother.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Lee Chandler, a man haunted by a tragic past involving a house fire that killed his children, becomes the legal guardian of his nephew, Patrick, after his brother Joe dies. The two men move to Manchester-by-the-Sea, where Lee is forced to confront the memories of his former life and his ex-wife, Randi. Amidst the tension of their differing lifestyles and Patrick's desire to reconnect with his mother, Elise, Lee and Patrick slowly form a bond. After a series of emotional confrontations, including a tense meeting with Elise and a physical altercation for Lee, the two find a way forward. Lee eventually arranges for Patrick to live with a family friend so he can remain in the area while taking a job in Boston. The film concludes with the two of them going fishing on Joe's boat.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 137
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Kenneth Lonergan
- Writers
- Kenneth Lonergan · writer
- Cast and characters
- Casey Affleck · Lee Chandler; Michelle Williams · Randi Ellington; Kyle Chandler · Joseph "Joe" P. Chandler; Lucas Hedges · Patrick Chandler; Gretchen Mol · Elise Henderson
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- grief; guilt; responsibility; dysfunctional families; post-traumatic stress disorder
- Tone and mood
- somber; heavy; raw
- Premise and plot tags
- family drama; coming-of-age; small-town life
- Content notes
- alcoholism
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim and was widely counted among the best films of 2016, with critics praising the performances and the screenplay.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 96% · scale: percentage · review count: 357; Metacritic · score: 96 · scale: 100 · review count: 53
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Actor · win; Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · win; Academy Award · Best Picture · nomination; Academy Award · Best Director · nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actor · nomination; Academy Award · Best Supporting Actress · nomination; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Actor in a Leading Role · win; British Academy Film Award · Best Original Screenplay · win
- Production trivia
- The film was the first film released by a digital streaming service to be nominated for Best Picture.; The score was ruled ineligible for Oscar consideration due to the volume of music from classical composers.; The script was ranked as the fifth best American screenplay of the 21st century by IndieWire in 2018.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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