Manchester by the Sea — For those in need of an emotional flick — 8*/10
- Overall: Very emotional drama with interesting ideas and unusual choices. Great, but for a single detail.
- Who is it for? Anyone wanting to feel something powerful.
- Synopsis & information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034228/
- Known actors: Casey Affleck.
- Setting: Low-middle class small town America.
- Style: Emotional drama.
- Pacing: Slow.
- Story: Well told, with strong emotional ties between the characters. However, there's barely any change in them as the story progresses. It kills the possibility of a story, it turns the film more into an anecdote than a movie.
- Ending: It ends too realistically. I rarely say that, but it made me think too much of a biography, because there is no real ending. It sort of just stops. Even historical movies do better. It might be courageous to do so, but you still need to be able, as an audience, to be left with something or else you have no attachment and you just forget about it.
- Dialogs: Very realistic. Powerful.
- Characters: Impressive emotional depth and solid realism.
- Acting: Perfect. Very realistic. Casey Affleck's best performance to date.
- Score: Very classical with great effect, but sometimes, it can take you by surprise or be a bit repetitive.
- Afterthoughts: As I watched, I could sense a great movie in the making, with only a few weak spots, but the ending, just... I won't say it ruined it, but it did diminish its accomplishment.
