Blu-ray Review Manchester by the Sea Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[Bryan^H]

"Manchester" ends on a positive note that points toward Lee's further re-entrance to the world of the living. Not sure what more anyone would want - he's not a "lost cause" at all...

That is your opinion, not mine.

I'm thinking Lee's nephew will just remain as busy as ever, and visit Lee seldomly. Lee won't be Patrick's project to save, even if he cares the world for his uncle. "I can't beat it". Those words uttered by Lee to Patrick is the most telling scene in the movie.
I think Lee will continue to be a working, "lost" soul that has no enjoyment of life. He will work, retire, and die saddled with the enormous guilt of the tragedy, and never let anyone get too close to him again.


Again, that is what I took from the movie. If you think he does a 180, and becomes a happy member of the human race again, remarries, has more kids, Then that is what you took from it. There is no right or wrong here.

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

 

[Colin Jacobson]

That is your opinion, not mine.

I'm thinking Lee's nephew will just remain as busy as ever, and visit Lee seldomly. Lee won't be Patrick's project to save, even if he cares the world for his uncle. "I can't beat it". Those words uttered by Lee to Patrick is the most telling scene in the movie.
I think Lee will continue to be a working, "lost" soul that has no enjoyment of life. He will work, retire, and die saddled with the enormous guilt of the tragedy, and never let anyone get too close to him again.


Again, that is what I took from the movie. If you think he does a 180, and becomes a happy member of the human race again, remarries, has more kids, Then that is what you took from it. There is no right or wrong here.

I never claimed that any of what you wrote in the last paragraph would happen. I have no idea how far Lee's "rehabilitation" will go.

But I continue to assert that references to Lee as a "lost cause" are off-base because the ending shows he's not "beyond redemption".

Whether he continues to engage in society or he "relapses", the simple fact he showed signs of emergence from his depression demonstrate he's not a "lost cause".

An actual "lost cause" would've ended the film exactly where he began...

 

[Robert Crawford]

Again, that is what I took from the movie. If you think he does a 180, and becomes a happy member of the human race again, remarries, has more kids, Then that is what you took from it. There is no right or wrong here.

Nobody is saying that, but take what you want from this film.

 

[Bryan^H]

Nobody is saying that, but take what you want from this film.

I know. It is a great film. Glad that others in this thread think so as well.

 

[rsmithjr]

I rather took the middle ground on this film, finding it a good film in many ways, but below the level of many of the reviews that I read last fall. (This is pretty much how I left about all of the films nominated this year--good but not great. No Lawrence here!)

Manchester suffers from not being very cinematic of course, with dull photography and editing, and not much of a musical score.

I do think that the film is honest about life by not showing an emotionally satisfying growth arc and conclusion. It is more tentative that we would like. A good screenplay however but with too many understated choices in the execution.

We do see some growth and reason to hope for redemption, it is just taking time. I do wonder what Lee's future, especially with his nephew, will be like. I certainly wanted him to embrace the responsibility his brother left him and hope that he will do so to some degree. Lee needs more love and respect than he is getting.

Our favorite this year was the very old-fashioned Hidden Figures btw.

 

[Bryan^H]

I actually know a girl(graduated high school a few years behind me) that lost her 2 children in a fire caused by portable heater. She was straight as an arrow in high school, good grades, nice etc. After the accident she got a divorce, and has become a full blown heroin addict. Last time I heard she nearly died after an overdose. That is real life.
Often times there is no happy ending after a tragedy.