Manchester by the Sea: A Few Misfires, but Still Oscar-worthy
There is not much to say about this movie that has not already been said. The acting is outstanding and stirring in its realism, and the film’s leading actors are rightly considered to be Oscar frontrunners. I cannot help but think that the late Alan Rickman’s observation that “parts win prizes, not actors” does not quite apply here. Yes, Lonergan fully deserves his share of Academy recognition for writing and direction, but the cast made this film work. Then there is the woefully underpraised camerawork, which conveys the melancholy mood through pure cinema.
But like I said, other critics have already expounded upon all of the above, so here I want to focus a bit more on the cultural milieu. Soon I will begin my twenty-fifth consecutive year of life in the Greater Boston area, which Lonergan apparently finds fascinating in its unspoiled personality. As pedestrian as it may sound, one of the more common criticisms I have heard around here is that the film butchers the Boston accent (a tip for actors: talk through your nose).
The botched native vernacular stands out as one of several odd misfires in a movie that purports to show real people. Despite how hard the movie tries to sell its characters as real people, I found myself repelled by some odd stereotypes and mischaracterizations. Manchester by the Sea is the latest film to come ashore in a wave of cinematic works set in or around Boston, or at least a mythologized version of it. The typical Bostonian (in Damon/Affleck fashion) is a white, blue-collar guy who enjoys no hobbies other than drinking and watching sports. He angers quickly, settles arguments with his fists, and is prone to obscenity-filed outbursts devoid of the letter “r.”
Newsflash for Hollywood: a lot of working class men are not that much different than you. Blue-collar people read books, follow the news, and view films like Manchester by the Sea. Drinking and watching sports, while essential activities, are not the working class man’s raison d’être. Blue-collar guys also engage in such activities as relaxing at the beach, hiking, exercising and eating out at nice restaurants—you know, like a lot of normal people. Many are craftsmen in their spare time or take on occasional handyman jobs.
But Hollywood seems unable to grasp anything other than a simpleminded caricature. In Manchester by the Sea, Lee Chandler embodies this working class fiction. Although Casey Affleck delivers a technically brilliant portrayal of a man shouldering an unthinkable burden, I found myself unable to engage with the character. The sheer depth of his depression just was not something I found very credible. Not that I expect anyone to “get over” that level of tragedy, but my impression is that most people in his position at least find a way to cope and compensate.
I found Patrick (Lucas Hedges) more relatable, even though there is no way that a high school guy on the basketball and hockey teams would also play guitar in a rock band. But that writing snafu can be forgiven on the strength of Hedges’ performance. The scenes with his buddies and girlfriends come across as remarkably organic and natural. Typically, teenage romance onscreen ends up degenerating into cringe-inducing dialogue and fairytale garbage. Patrick’s adolescent fumbling is delightfully awkward just because we can all picture ourselves in those scenes.
But as terrific as these actors performed, Michelle Williams blows them all away as Lee’s (former) wife. The sheer depth of emotion in her layered performance climaxes in a chance meeting with Lee later in the film, which is the one scene that made me come close to tears. Women in these quixotic Boston movies rarely serve any real purpose beyond serving as a romantic device for the male lead, but that is not the case here. Michelle Williams totally steals this movie, and I daresay that perhaps the story should have been about her character and not Lee Chandler.
Tomorrow we will learn if the Academy sees fit to bestow its highest honors on Manchester by the Sea, including Best Picture. The three leading actors all received acting nominations, and Lonergan is up for both directing and writing. The competition this year is stiff, so it does not seem to be a shoo-in for any award. Still, I would be happy to see it win any or all of the categories in which it competes. Some have criticized the film as “Oscar bait,” but I beg to differ. Manchester by the Sea is actually a fun, likeable movie. The film tries to be pleasant, which I think explains background music that rubbed some viewers the wrong way. It could have easily gone the sad violin route, but the sometimes ironic and peppy soundtrack combined with moments of subtle humor elevate the film beyond cheap tragedy. I sincerely believe that people will study this film for many years to come, and I urge you to give it a go no matter what happens at the Oscars.
