Like an onion, slowly being peeled layer by layer to reveal a forever bleeding heart, Kenneth Lonergan, the writer-director of Manchester by the Sea, presents us with the clumped past of the film’s lead character; Lee Chandler, a reserved janitor working in Quincy, Massachusetts. Yet people are rarely what they seem.
An emotionally difficult film to watch, Manchester by the Sea enjoys superb performances, especially by Casey Affleck, with strong support from the rest of the cast members. Lonergan’s writing and directing are steadfast, with a style of story-telling that favors a character study over plot-driven. It reminded me much of Anton Chekhov's writings; where post any crisis, life’s banality is the ultimate tragedy. And much along these lines, Lonergan, if to use Chekhov’s words, accomplishes -- “The task of a writer is not to solve the problem but to state the problem correctly.”
I am recommending this film with some mix feelings. While definitely a masterpiece of storytelling, it is also heart-wrenching to watch.