Review: Manchester By The Sea (15)

Manchester by the Sea is the latest from Kenneth Lonergan. An acclaimed playwright turned screenwriter, he made his movie mark with the much-loved indie hit You Can Count on Me, but his follow-up, the ambitious, 9/11-themed Margaret, became embroiled in a nightmare lawsuit that delayed its release by six years.

TRAGIC: Manchester By The Sea. Pictured with Michelle Williams as Randi.

That’s why he’s only now delivering his third feature, but it’s very much been worth the wait. A contained story about grief and redemption, it’s as ambitious as anything he’s done – and also properly funny as well, something one wouldn’t necessarily expect from a story about a troubled man (Casey Affleck) who is reluctantly forced to become a guardian to his 16-year-old nephew. From this simple premise Lonergan weaves a wrenching drama about the complicated ways tragedy reverberates through the years, with Affleck giving the sort of unshowy performance that gradually tears you apart. He’s complemented by heartbreaking support from Michelle Williams as his ex-wife, but also from young up-and-comer Lucas Hedges, who gives a sly, multi-layered performance as his hormonally charged nephew, scoring big laughs from his character’s honest interactions with his uncle.

It’s a film that quietly subverts expectations at every turn – and Affleck really is a revelation.

On general release