Manchester by the Sea

The idea came from John Krasinski and Matt Damon: Krasinski to star, Damon directing. After reading a draft Damon argued that Kenneth Lonergan should direct and that he would star; his schedule stayed full for another year and the part went to Casey Affleck. Damon is credited as a producer on the Best Picture nomination. Six nominations, two wins: Casey Affleck for Actor in a Leading Role, Kenneth Lonergan for Original Screenplay. Picture, Director, Lucas Hedges for Supporting Actor and Michelle Williams for Supporting Actress stayed nominations. Flashbacks arrive with no warning: no dissolve, no date card, Lee is simply younger, and sorting present from past is your job. When a classical cue comes in, dialogue and effects drop out and Albinoni’s Adagio in G minor or the Pifa from Handel’s Messiah fills the silence; Lesley Barber wrote the score. Shooting began on 23 March 2015 in Manchester-by-the-Sea and moved through Beverly and Gloucester, where a funeral home is cut to look as though it sits on the water. Amazon took US rights for ten million dollars, outbidding Netflix, and still released it in cinemas. A good fit if you can wait until halfway for the film to say why Lee cannot stay. Not for anyone expecting recovery at the close; Lee hands guardianship to someone else and leaves town.