Manchester By The Sea

Manchester by the Sea is not simply one of those worthy but forgettable films that garner awards (Casey Affleck won the Best Actor Oscar), it is not merely a good film, it is a very good one, perhaps on the cusp of greatness. Its subject matter is potentially ruinous dealing as it does with the daunting emotional baggage of Affleck's central character. But in among the tragedy there is a gentle almost painful comic spirit at play and an overriding sense of the possibility of redemption. Ther is no sugar-coated ending but the human spirit remains alive to fight another day and that alone is to be wondered at. Search this film out. 9/10.