"Manchester by the Sea," written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, is a sad story - no matter how hard one tries to make up and struggle, old wounds always resurface. Do not go.
Lee Chandler was a cleaner and handyman. Through a series of his daily life, the film depicts the character's angular character. When Li was using the toilet for a customer, the head of the household tactfully expressed his love for him by talking loudly to his friend on the phone, but he politely avoided and declined the invitation of love. When repairing the shower for the customer, the head of the household He blamed Li in a bad tone, but after he had endured it, he shouted back, the boss asked Li to apologize to the customer, he calmly refused to apologize, and then he sat in the bar drinking alone, because a man kept staring at him, he Got into a fight with that man...
Apparently, this is a depressed and aloof man who can maintain basic interpersonal decency, but can't build deep, intimate relationships.
At this time, Li's brother died suddenly. Li wanted to go back to his hometown to deal with the funeral and then left, but found that his brother left a will and asked Li to be the legal guardian of his son Patrick. Li was used to being away from the crowd. Tasting loneliness, this intimate relationship that fell from the sky left him at a loss.
With Li's personality, he would not disregard his brother's entrustment or abandon his nephew, but he couldn't really devote himself to this relationship. The plot unfolded slowly under Li's tangled emotions, while describing how Li tried his best to deal with it. Hao's relationship with his nephew, while explaining a painful past of Li through interludes, and this is the reason why he has become what he is now.
Lee and nephew
Whenever the relationship between Li and his nephew has progressed and life has a good momentum, the pain of the past will come unexpectedly, pulling Li back into a depressed mood. As the film draws to a close, Li finally improves his relationship with his nephew. , live in harmony, but Li chose to leave, he rarely confided to his nephew: I can't get rid of the past.
Obviously, all the people and things in his hometown, for Li, in addition to warmth, it is a nightmare of the past.
The whole story is like a slow-simmered coffee, from bland to strong. Although the characters rarely reveal their inner lines, the carefully arranged plot captures people's emotions unconsciously. When Li said At the moment when I couldn't get rid of the past, I felt an unforgettable heartbreak in an instant.
Some people say that "Manchester by the Sea" is like a lyrical poem with fine rhythm and subtle details. I would say that sadness is the rhyme of this poem, appearing in every key position and letting your emotions be swayed by it.
This film is easily reminiscent of another work "Deeper than the Sea" last year. Both films portray a man who is deeply immersed in the past and cannot cheer up. The difference is that "Deeper than the Sea" finally uses the mother's help. mouth, enlightened the protagonist, and then he got out of the myth of the past and welcomed a new life, while "Manchester by the Sea" is more pessimistic. After a lot of struggle, Li finally chose to return to the former kind of isolation. In life, lick the wounds alone.
"Deeper Than the Sea"
Grief is not only the rhyme of this poem, it is the theme of the whole story, and it shows us how the trauma of life can ruin a person's life, or even an entire life.
Cheer up after disappointment, success after inspiration, the common routines in these movies are all used to satisfy the fantasies and visions of the audience. They are never real life, real life, not so dramatic, but only in In a seemingly bland process, it shows its burly face.
Some hurts are for a lifetime. You can neither get out of the shadows, get rid of them completely, nor go crazy and forget everything. It is more likely that you will carry them through your whole life. Maybe this is the real life.
Li and brother after the tragedy
If we say that the waste wood in "The Love of the People" and "The Love of One Hundred Yuan" expresses a kind of anti-inspirational spirit, and "Manchester by the Sea" can't get out of the sad Li, it reflects a kind of anti-healing ideology, both eschew common storytelling and seek to resonate with people through a strong sense of reality.
Director Kenneth Lonergan, who is also a talented screenwriter, is very good at depicting the emotions of characters from the smallest details, and "Manchester by the Sea" continues his style. The impressive scene is that when Li faced the dinner invitation from his nephew's girlfriend's mother, his eyes first flashed panic, then paused and hesitated for a few seconds, and finally refused, Li's withdrawn and tangled, After being completely written, the whole character stands up instantly. In addition, the emotions of the other main characters are also quite solid.
Li and his ex-wife
Li is played by Casey Affleck, who is known for his acting skills. This role is almost tailor-made for him. His silent temperament and complex eyes make Li, a character with few words and few expressions, completely alive It allows people to truly feel the emotions of the characters, and ultimately invests a huge amount of sympathy with the characters, which is one of the important reasons for the success of the film.
Casey Affleck was nominated for the 74th American Film and Television Golden Globe Awards for this role, and finally won the Best Actor in a Drama Series, which is his second nomination and first win.
Casey Affleck
It is worth mentioning that the film was produced by Matt Damon, who originally planned to direct and star in the film himself, but in the end he gave up the role of Lee to his friend Casey Aver for the role of "The Martian". lake.
Although the film reveals the cruel truth of life, the plot is not radical. Li's efforts in life are still rewarding. He gained the affection of his nephew and re-established a close relationship, although he did not have the courage to stay In his hometown, he sees things and thinks about the past, but at least in his London home, there is an extra bed reserved for his nephew since then.
First published on the WeChat platform of Movie Wanted
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