Untrue. Rather than do the 15,000th exhaustive review of the film, the BQ will supply a basic, and we believe, calming assessment of 'Manchester'. We do this especially for those of you who dread hurling yourself off the nearest high building once you comprehend the unspeakable tragedy that lies at the heart of the movie.....
Surprise! It's humorous..... You're not going to roll in the aisles like you're watching Seth Rogan suck on a saxaphone-sized bong, but you will hear the real give and take of human conversation......The funny thing about real conversation...it could sound funny ......even when it's about a dazed, drifting-through-life handyman(Casey Affleck) forced to deal with the heart failure death of his beloved older brother and the thorny impossible task of inheriting the guardianship of the brother's teenage son....... the awkward absurdity of the dialogue exchanges could (gasp!) evoke a smile or a laugh out of you.....
Yes, there's good reason Casey Affleck behaves like he's in a semi-comatose state....which the movie lays out for you, simply and with grim efficiency, about halfway into the film. But you'll already find yourself riveted by his character long before the source of his overwhelming emotional pain is revealed. 'Manchester', you should know right now,is the farthest thing away from a morose, lethally paced European film that wallows in death and despair, forcing you to check your watch every two minutes. This movie grips you from the start and doesn't let go....
You should never miss a movie that spotlights Michelle Williams....her role isn't huge but the few minutes she appears.....including the brief, much talked about encounter with Affleck....she once again proves what a cinematic treasure we have in her. BQ could easily skip the next fifteen Meryl Streep acting-to-the-rafters movies, but we'd show up for any Michelle Williams film, even if they put her in it for twelve seconds......
And one more final, pithy metaphor.....based on descriptions of its storyline, don't think of watching this movie as comparable to swallowing a gag-inducing cup of cold medicine. Think of it more as a hefty pint of Boston beer.....biting, bitter and capable of leaving you with a buzz.....the buzz you hold in your head after seeing an exhilarating package of superb acting, writing and direction. BQ raises a glass to "Manchester By The Sea" with 5 stars (*****), a FIND OF FINDS.
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