Sitting through a screening of Manchester By The Sea is like being hit by an artfully created bus.
It leaves you bruised, battered and questioning all the life choices that led you to this particular moment, but then you ultimately decide that the pain was worth it. All because you got to witness something of complete beauty.
Manchester By The Sea, a film written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, is most likely already on your radar thanks to the fact that it’s currently ripping through the awards season circuit.
The story follows Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) who reluctantly returns to his hometown after his big brother Jo (Kyle Chandler) dies from congestive heart failure.
Jo’s 16-year-old son Patrick (Lucas Hedges) is then left in the care of Lee. He is so visibly broken and haunted by the town that he once called home, I almost don’t want to know what events led to this character being left in such unimaginable pain.
The days that follow Lee's return to Manchester are the some of the most heartbreaking, and realistically mundane depictions of death that have ever been caught on film.
Watching characters die and mourn loved ones on the big screen has become so common place, and our expectations have been raised so high, that it takes just the right confection of characters, dialogue and cinematography to make us look up from our popcorn.
These tiny touches of humanity, coupled with an intense look at how humans handle tragedy, is what has struck such a cord with audiences across the world.
If you're looking for some beautiful new shows to watch on the small screen, listen to the newest episode of The Binge. Post continues...
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Michelle Williams is the best actress in Hollywood. Will always watch a movie just because she's in it.