A bracing portrait of grief.

Grief is an odd thing. While we assign stages to it and assume it has order, in reality it’s an entirely chaotic, subjective experience. We can grieve as a group, family, or nation but how and when it manifests is something deeply private.

Losing a loved one is unfortunately something that's part of the fabric of life but precisely how and where grief materialises in each of us will differ greatly from individual to individual. For some it’s an immediate outpour of emotion and for others it’ll be a slow-burn. Neither is the correct response, of course, but this is precisely what makes us the unique, fragile beings we are. As the perfect embodiment of the chaotic nature of loss, Manchester by the Sea paints a beautifully moving portrait of the grieving process and all the messy baggage it carries with it.

After the death of his brother Joe (Kyle Chandler), brooding and reserved janitor Lee (Casey Affleck) is stunned to learn that he has been made sole guardian of his nephew Patrick (Lucas Hedges). Struggling to come to terms with this sudden loss, Lee reluctantly returns to his home town of Manchester-by-the-Sea to care for Patrick. Forced to face down his demons and reconnect with his estranged wife Randi (Michelle Williams) and the community he grew up in, Lee must finally confront his tormented past in order to move on.

Manchester by the Sea is a deep-seated meditation on grief and redemption but one that steadfastly refuses to conform. For a film predisposed for awards glory, Manchester by the Sea shows very little interest in playing the Oscars game with its subject matter. It may be an obvious statement, but grief is not a new cinematic subject. More often than not, however, grief plays out in a very heightened version of reality; painted in broad, Hollywood brush strokes, with little room for nuance.

While grief may unfold this way for some, for most of us, reality can be found floating loosely in the middle somewhere. In its refusal to exaggerate the grieving process, Manchester by the Sea manages to elevate itself to a level of realism rarely witnessed in mainstream cinema. Much like Lee himself, Kenneth Lonergan’s film is a low-key, meditative experience and one of the most relatable, close-to-the-bone reflections on grief you’re likely to experience.

Manchester by the Sea is determined to stick to a minor key, but does so in a way that perfectly reflects the reality of its characters’ situations. When bad news breaks, there are no immediate floods of tears, no wailing, no dramatic outpourings of anger. When the call comes regarding his brother’s death, Lee calmly puts the phone down, packs away his snow shovel and, before you know it, he’s in the car back home staring vacantly at the road ahead. As an audience, we’ve been trained to expect drama and tears, but the matter-of-fact nature of what we get is far more devastating.

Those seeking melodrama be left frustrated in the film’s steadfast refusal to drift from its principles but, for others willing to trust it, there's a understated beauty to be found in Manchester by the Sea. Writer-director Kenneth Lonergan deftly skirts around any potential melodrama by ensuring his film functions as a closed book, much like its protagonist. Under many other directors, the film could easily nosedive into messy sentimentalism but Lonergan’s clear dedication to his vision is key in keeping the film free from any such indulgences.

As heavy as the subject matter is, Manchester by the Sea is able to avoid the weight of grief becoming overwhelming by threading itself with a surprising, wry sense of humour. On the surface, a film about a grieving brother coming to terms with loss, regret and impending fatherhood may not sound like a laugh riot, but Lonergan and his cast dig deep to find levity in the darkness. The humour is largely situation as Lee comes across as a fish out of water while attempting to take care of his adopted son and, while no one will be considering Manchester by the Sea as a comedy, its little pockets of wit are able to lighten the film's burdens.

Casey Affleck and his young co-star Lucas Hedges deserve a large chunk of the credit for this injection of wit as they bounce off one another with humorous digs and irreverent bickering like a seasoned comedy duo; adding a welcome level of warmth to the film’s frosty backdrop. Affleck will earn his fair share of the praise, but it’d be irresponsible to ignore the contribution Hedges makes; going toe-to-toe with his experienced co-star and tackling a tricky role with admirable ease.

Unfortunately, as fantastic as it is to witness the development of Lee and Patrick’s burgeoning relationship, it does push Lee’s relationship with his estranged wife Randi into the background. Michelle Williams is a world class performer and plays Randi with heart and nuance, but we simply don’t see enough of her. While it would be fascinating to dig deeper into Randi’s side of the story, Williams appears primarily through flashback scenes and her absence is certainly felt. Manchester by the Sea’s distinct lack of female voice is a rare tarnish on an otherwise faultless film and the boys club feel is a shame as grief cares little for gender and the collective nature of loss is certainly something worth further exploration.

With all said and done though, this is every bit Casey Affleck’s film and may very well be the role of his career. In Gone Baby Gone and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Affleck proved himself a superb performer, but Manchester by the Sea feels like his come-of-age moment. It’s certainly not an easy task to play such a tightly packed, buttoned down role, as it leaves little room for manoeuvre within a tight, emotionally restrictive script, but Affleck carries it all with considerable assurance. In a role of minimal external emotion; anger, resentment, and regret bubble barely below the surface, as Affleck puts everything he’s got into a man weighed down with unimaginable grief. What’s all the more impressive is the way in which he’s able to flip seamlessly between two very contrasting characters in Lee of the past and Lee of the present. As we’re drip-fed key moments from Lee’s back story, swinging between his confident, laddish past, to the reticence of his present day demeanour; we witness Casey Affleck at his versatile best. This really is Affleck on top form and its upon his shoulders that the film is able to reach the heights that it does.

Although far from an easy ride, Manchester by the Sea tells a tightly written, low-key tale of acceptance, grief and redemption; shot through with a surprising wry humour and anchored by a career high performance by its lead. Like its protagonist, Manchester by the Sea is a clenched fist of a film, rarely loosening its grip and keeping its emotional cards close to its chest. While many will find the subject matter off-putting and the film's muted, wintery style may keep some at arm’s length, Kenneth Lonergan has nonetheless created a refreshingly genuine and down-to-earth study of grief that covers some incredibly heavy subject matter with the lightest of touches.