a MANCHSTER BY THE SEA musing
Damn this was emotionally draining. I think this is one of those movies you can only watch once because it is so hard to get through. Not in a bad way, but the movie deals with a guy who has just had a rough life. Throughout the film, you’re shown how much he has gone through and it’s a fascinating study; Affleck deserves praise for his performance. A lot of the film hits hard, with a lot of shots holding on characters’ reactions. Many of the scenes are so real, and though I didn’t find any true standout scenes, they all built up to a beautiful whole film. Not to say this is a perfect film: a lot of the scenes with the high school friends were cringe worthy and just felt like “hey I’m acting!”, and the dark background of Lee, the main character, was overwhelming. I still really liked the movie and will give it a solid 8/10. I recommend this if you’re looking for a dramatic and grounded story.