Manchester by the Sea

Before filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan's unflinching, emotionally devastating, multiple Oscar nominee (including Best Picture) begins, Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) has already suffered unimaginable tragedy. Now his beloved older brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), a Cape Ann fisherman, has died, and Lee has been named guardian of Joe's teenage son, Patrick (Lucas Hedges). This means that surly Lee, who works as a janitor/handyman in Quincy, outside Boston, must return to his hometown of Manchester by the Sea, the working class suburb where the tight-knit residents view him as a social pariah. While Lee wants to do right by his family, he's reluctant to move back to a place full of painful memories and the inevitability of running into his foul-mouthed ex-wife (Michelle Williams), who has re-married and is expecting a baby. But rebellious Patrick is determined to stay on the North Shore, where he's a popular high school jock who plays in a band and has numerous girlfriends. Featuring a fine supporting cast that includes Gretchen Mol, C.J. Wilson, Matthew Broderick, and Anna Baryshnikov, this poignant melodrama is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extra include audio commentary by writer-director Kenneth Lonergan, an “Emotional Lives” making-of featurette (16 min.), deleted scenes (5 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for this highly acclaimed drama.] (S. Granger)