Actors: Casey Affleck, Michelle
Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges
Rating: 10 out of 10, Every bit as
good as you have no doubtedly heard about. I worry when a film is so
exhaustively praised that there is no way it will live up to its reputation.
Manchester does and then some. A stark story of a very damaged man working as a
janitor in Boston who’s called back to Manchester when his brother dies. The
barren, cold, winter landscape of Manchester mirrors the seemingly soul-dead
janitor. This movie should be a film school standard on the skillful use of
flashback scenes to explain how the janitor evolved into what he’s become.
Casey Affleck is absolutely perfect as the severely damaged lead trying to maintain
his thin hold on sanity and not give into the rage barely held back. The
crushing seminal event is exposed about halfway through the movie to perfect
effect. The summary so far may sound depressing but there’s a surprising amount
of subtle humor laced throughout and you eventually can’t help but understand
and sympathize with Affleck’s character. While everyone will point to the scene
with his ex-wife for drama, I liked the scenes involving Affleck and his on
screen nephew who trying to deal with the death of his father, a really weird
uncle/guardian, and usual teenage drama. The plot doesn’t go for any grand
gestures and felt more like a true life – a tragic story of family. There are
some things you never recover from and while that’s painful to see it’s
understandable. One of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time.
MVP: Affleck as the haunted Lee, unable to deal
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