Review of
Manchester by the Sea
Reviewed by Dan McDonald
Manchester by the Sea is a well-made
movie which explores the difficulties that arise when someone experiences a
second chance. The movie’s focus is on the character of “Lee Chandler”
presented by Casey Affleck. Lee Chandler is the brother of “Joe Chandler” whose
role is played by Kyle Chandler. Lee Chandler is not the only one troubled by a
past and given the hope or troubling responsibility of a second chance.
Michelle Williams presents the character of “Randi” whose difficulties seem to
be opposed to Lee Chandler’s while mirroring his own difficulties.
In clichés we say “Past failures don’t
define you.” In real life, past failures become the demons, or are used by the
demons seeking to define us. In American film, movies are generally made to
show us that if we play our parts right there will be a happy ending. In “Manchester
by the Sea” the suspense lingers as we hope for a happy ending and yet things
happen that show us it is not going to be easy for all the characters to
discover a happy ending. Perhaps the reality of it, whether or not we believe
in a hope of redemption is that there are chapters in each of our lives that
shatter our self-images and come partially or substantially to own and possess
us, and our knowledge that this is so only deepens the sense that we are
seriously broken and might well be for a long time, and maybe throughout our
lives.
Manchester by the Sea is a movie
where a boat has a motor about to go out. Each trip to sea reminds those in the
boat that the defective motor might fail and leave them stranded. That is the
perfect symbol for most of the characters in this movie. They feel that within
themselves they have a failing motor, and now they must struggle to figure out
if they can set out to sea or insulate themselves in some sort of safe lives.
I loved this movie but it is one of
those movies where certain profane words fill the script. My life has never
been far from such a lifestyle and perhaps I have given in to the words too
much myself. I can understand why a movie goer who doesn’t wish to give himself
into a film using that one four-letter word as an adjective to be used in every
other sentence. As I seek to inform people interested in seeing the film of
this and also some uncomfortable situations morally speaking, I found myself
lead to think about how the film uses these situations.
Lucas Hedges plays the role of
Patrick, a son left behind by his mother’s troubles and his father’s death. Now
he is trying to grow up when the man appointed his guardian seems like he hates
Patrick’s presence. Patrick’s actions seem like the proverbial son who asks for
permission to do things wondering if the person he is asking will ever care
enough to say “no” to the things he asks. Growing up is not learning to do
everything one wants to do as an adult, but learning to navigate life by the
boundaries of wisdom or learning to treat others with respect. Patrick is
testing boundaries wondering if anyone even cares to talk to him about what he
is doing.
After watching the film and
wondering what I would say about all the profanity, it seemed to me that when
we explore people who have given up on themselves or have consigned themselves
to the role of the eternally broken, we should not be surprised if their
language is filled with profanity. Most of us use profanity the most at some
point in our lives when we are trying to be adults. Adults say the words we are
not supposed to say as children. But when we get through the phase of adult
language being cool we find ourselves less comfortable using the profane words. There are reasons adults
taught us as children not to use the words and there are reasons why adults end
up falling into relying upon the words. It is not so much hypocrisy of adults,
as it is the failure of adults to be true to their own better understanding.
The use of profane language by a parent or guardian who knows better is
sometimes less explained by hypocrisy as it is by surrender to the demons that
plague us.
I’ve learned in the aftermath of
watching this movie to think about our use of profanity differently. The
reasons we try to teach our children and ourselves to not use or to limit the
use of profanity is that profanity so often is used to express either
bitterness or hopelessness. Both of these attitudes need corralled and
overcome. It seems to me that there is another reason why profanity is to be
avoided. Profanity should be avoided because ultimately our profane words
become mere clichés which express and communicate virtually nothing. To give in
to profanity when bitter or hopeless is to give up on seeking answers to the
questions that plague us. Human beings are reflective creatures who use their
minds and seek language to explain their trials, to express their hopes, and to
seek the meaning of things in their lives. So often the f--- word no matter how
momentarily satisfying is in the full analysis an announcement of an end to our
dealing with what plagues us. The f--- word is not the word of our human
language we are seeking to understand our situations or to find the wherewithal
of moving forward. The forbidden word merely becomes the conversation closer so
that we quit looking for words to better understand our plight. Film-makers
have understood that is how we so often speak when instead of looking for
answers we are pulling ourselves away from the possibilities of seeking,
understanding, and discovering whatever answers we might be capable of finding.
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