Manchester by the Sea (film)

Manchester by the Sea

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2016 (2016)
Founder	Kenneth Lonergan
Products	Drama film

Manchester by the Sea is a 2016 American drama written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, featuring performances by Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, and Lucas Hedges. The narrative follows a man overwhelmed by sorrow who becomes the legal guardian of his adolescent nephew following the death of his brother, delving into themes such as depression, guilt, mourning, duty, and family dysfunction.

The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2016, and was subsequently picked up for distribution by Amazon Studios. Principal photography occurred in March and April 2015 in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, along with nearby locations including Beverly, Essex, Gloucester, Swampscott, Lynn, Middleton, Tewksbury, and Salem. It saw a limited theatrical release beginning November 18, 2016, before expanding widely on December 16, 2016. With a production budget close to $9 million, it earned approximately $79 million worldwide.

Receiving widespread critical acclaim and frequently cited among the finest films of 2016, it was recognized as the best film of the year by the National Board of Review. Acclaim was particularly directed at the acting of Affleck, Hedges, and Williams, as well as Lonergan’s script and direction. At the 89th Academy Awards, Manchester by the Sea secured wins for Best Actor (Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay, alongside nominations for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Hedges), and Supporting Actress (Williams). Affleck also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. The film garnered six nominations at the British Academy Film Awards, winning Best Actor for Affleck and Best Original Screenplay. It is widely regarded as one of the most notable films in recent decades.

Plot

Lee Chandler works as a reclusive and morose janitor living alone in Quincy, Massachusetts. Upon learning that his brother Joe—a fisherman residing in Manchester-by-the-Sea—has died from cardiac arrest, Lee travels to notify Joe’s teenage son Patrick. Because the ground is frozen, Joe’s burial must wait until springtime; this leads Lee to remain in Manchester temporarily and stay at Joe’s residence.

Lee discovers that Joe appointed him as Patrick’s legal guardian. Flashbacks reveal Lee’s tragic history: a house fire caused by his negligence resulted in the death of his children, triggering his divorce and departure from Manchester. Hesitant to fully embrace guardianship or return permanently, Lee initially plans to move Patrick to Boston with him. However, Patrick resists leaving his hometown and expresses a desire to reconnect with his estranged mother Elise—who has battled alcoholism but is now sober and engaged.

Patrick’s efforts to rebuild a relationship with Elise are complicated by her fiancé Jeffrey’s opposition. Meanwhile, tensions rise between Lee and Patrick due to their conflicting perspectives. Despite these struggles involving Joe’s boat and Patrick’s personal challenges, Lee attempts to prolong his stay in Manchester to repair their bond.

The town remains a source of pain for Lee because of ongoing suspicions surrounding the fire and encounters with his ex-wife Randi who shows remorse. Overcome with emotion, Lee breaks down at the home of Joe’s friend George. Patrick responds with empathy after witnessing Lee’s vulnerability.

To provide Patrick with stability, Lee arranges for George and his wife to adopt him so he can continue living in Manchester while Lee accepts employment in Boston. Lee confesses he "can’t beat" the town emotionally. Following Joe’s funeral, Lee tells Patrick he is searching for a Boston home with an extra room where Patrick can visit. The story concludes with them fishing together aboard Joe’s restored boat now owned by Patrick.

Cast

• Casey Affleck portrays Lee Chandler, a solitary man burdened by sorrow
• Lucas Hedges plays Patrick Chandler, Lee's 16-year-old nephew and ward
  • Ivy O'Brien appears as the younger version of Patrick Chandler
• Michelle Williams is cast as Randi Ellington, Lee’s ex-wife
• Kyle Chandler takes on the role of Joseph "Joe" P. Chandler, Lee’s brother and Patrick’s father
• C. J. Wilson features as George Ellington, a close family friend of the Chandlers
• Tate Donovan acts as Patrick’s hockey coach
• Kara Hayward plays Silvie McGann, one of Patrick’s romantic interests
• Anna Baryshnikov portrays Sandy, another of Patrick’s girlfriends
• Heather Burns appears as Jill, Sandy’s mother
• Gretchen Mol is Elise Henderson, Joe’s former wife and Patrick’s mother
• Matthew Broderick assumes the role of Jeffrey Garner, Elise’s fiancé
• Josh Hamilton acts as Wes, Joe’s attorney
• Kenneth Lonergan makes a cameo appearance as a pedestrian in Manchester
• Stephen Henderson plays Mr. Emery, Lee’s employer
• Erica McDermott is Sue, the supervisor at the boatyard
• Mary Mallen appears as Sharon
• Jackson Damon takes on the role of Otto

Themes

Manchester by the Sea delves deeply into the experience of profound sorrow and its lasting effects. Film critic Colin Fleming emphasizes the narrative’s examination of how individuals manage grief and carry guilt. According to Film Comment, Lee’s ongoing mourning is fueled by his inability to escape his past. The film employs abrupt flashbacks to illustrate the permanence of trauma; critic Anthony Lane notes that the story deliberately refrains from offering easy resolutions to hardship. The plot interweaves tragedy with moments of dark humor and frequent setbacks, producing a blend of coarse comedy and subtle emotional depth as highlighted by reviewers Steven Mears and Richard Alleva.

Director Kenneth Lonergan expressed his goal to portray unresolved trauma authentically:

“I dislike that... it seems unacceptable to leave some wounds open... Some people never recover from major life events; why shouldn’t their stories be told on screen?”

Set against the backdrop of a working-class New England town, the film integrates genuine regional characteristics such as local landscapes, delays in burial due to frozen earth, and aspects of fishing life—details Lonergan incorporated after early discussions with John Krasinski and Matt Damon during story development. Critics observe that this New England environment influences the characters’ subdued emotional displays and supports the film’s poignant dialogue and atmosphere.

Development

Matt Damon and John Krasinski initially envisioned a story centered on an “emotionally impaired” handyman and brought Kenneth Lonergan onboard, who had previously collaborated with Damon on Margaret (2011). While both actors became engaged with other projects, Lonergan dedicated three years to refining the screenplay. After reviewing an early draft, Damon encouraged Lonergan to direct and agreed to star in the film. Their partnership was publicly announced on September 6, 2014, with pre-production commencing soon after; however, Damon’s commitments postponed filming for approximately one year.

In December 2014, during production of The Finest Hours, Casey Affleck disclosed he would assume Damon's lead role—a transition Damon endorsed. Affleck was officially confirmed on January 5, 2015. Michelle Williams joined as the protagonist's former spouse on January 9, followed by Kyle Chandler cast as Lee's brother on February 24. Lucas Hedges was added in April 2015; despite initial reservations about his suitability, Lonergan praised Hedges’ audition. Erica McDermott was also cast subsequently.

Drawing from his theatrical background, Lonergan arranged two weeks of table-read rehearsals prior to shooting.

Filming

The principal photography for the film commenced on March 23, 2015, taking place in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts, along with several locations across the North Shore such as Beverly, Essex, Gloucester, Swampscott, Lynn, Middleton, Tewksbury, and Salem. Filming wrapped up on April 30, 2015. In a 2018 interview, Matt Damon disclosed that an initially intended ending—featuring a drone shot capturing Affleck’s and Williams’ characters alongside their family on a boat—was removed due to budget constraints. However, the film’s eventual box office success suggested that the sequence could have been financially feasible.

Originally, Gigi Pritzker was slated to produce and finance through Odd Lot Entertainment. By March 2015, production and financing responsibilities transitioned to Kimberly Steward’s K Period Media in conjunction with Damon’s Pearl Street Films, Chris Moore’s CMP, Kevin J. Walsh’s B Story, and Lauren Beck. Additional funding was provided by Sierra/Affinity. Executive producers included Josh Godfrey, John Krasinski, Declan Baldwin, and Bill Migliore.

Music

Lesley Barber composed the score for the film, marking a reunion with director Lonergan after their collaboration on You Can Count on Me (2000). Upon reading the script, she began crafting initial musical motifs and worked closely with an orchestra to capture the ocean’s subtle tension present in exterior scenes. Her early inspirations drew from 18th-century New England ecclesiastical music—including Calvinist hymns and Colonial-era a cappella singing. Barber further honed the composition through detailed conversations with Lonergan to accurately reflect the film’s mood.

To express Lee’s "internal world," Barber recorded her daughter Jacoba Barber-Rozema—an opera major—singing in a confined environment via Skype before layering orchestral arrangements. For scenes depicting happier flashbacks, vocals were recorded in a large auditorium to achieve a different acoustic quality. Instead of providing preliminary demos, Barber delivered completed pieces early during editing to facilitate seamless integration. Following Sundance edits, she simplified portions of the score.

Critics lauded the soundtrack for effectively conveying working-class American sentiments while complementing the film’s raw emotional tone without seeming forced. Jonathan Broxton noted its immersion in "bitterness of regret," describing it as hauntingly beautiful and dreamlike.

The inclusion of "Adagio in G minor" during Lee's tragic moments garnered mixed reactions; some critics felt it was overused and distracting. Lonergan initially employed it as a temporary placeholder but ultimately decided to retain it. Due to the extensive use of classical music tracks, the Academy ruled the score ineligible for Oscar nomination. Barber accepted this decision while expressing pride in her original contributions to the soundtrack.

Soundtrack

All compositions were created by Lesley Barber unless otherwise specified. The orchestra was led by conductor James Shearman. Additional vocal performances were provided by Jacoba Barber-Rozema, Barber’s daughter. Recording and mixing were handled by XXX, with Mick Gormley responsible for editing. Production credits go to Lesley Barber and Stefan Karrer.

Release

Manchester by the Sea had its premiere on January 23, 2016, at the Sundance Film Festival. Shortly thereafter, Amazon Studios secured U.S. distribution rights for $10 million, outbidding rivals including Sony Pictures Classics, Universal Pictures/Focus Features, Netflix, Lionsgate, and Fox Searchlight Pictures. International rights were partly acquired by Sony (through Stage 6 Films) and Universal/Focus via Sierra/Affinity. This $10 million acquisition ranked as the second-highest deal at Sundance that year after The Birth of a Nation, which sold for $17.5 million. Subsequently, Roadside Attractions, which is 45% owned by Lionsgate, joined Amazon as a co-distributor.

The film also screened at prominent festivals such as the Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival, and the 2016 New York Film Festival, where director Lonergan participated in Q&A sessions. It was featured at the BFI London Film Festival as well. Theatrical release took place on November 18, 2016.

Home media

In the United States, Manchester by the Sea became accessible for streaming and digital purchase on February 7, 2017, with its Amazon Prime release following on May 5. Physical copies on DVD and Blu-ray were made available starting February 21, 2017. Across the United Kingdom, digital downloads launched on May 8, 2017, while Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand versions were released a week later on May 15.

Box office

The film grossed $47.7 million domestically in the U.S. and Canada, alongside $31.3 million internationally, culminating in a worldwide total of $79 million against a production cost of $9 million. Its limited release commenced on November 18, 2016, earning $256,498 from just four theaters, with an impressive per-theater average of $64,125. The broader U.S. release began December 16, 2016, competing against titles like Rogue One and Collateral Beauty, generating $4.2 million and securing the sixth spot at the box office that weekend.

Critical response

Manchester by the Sea was met with widespread praise for Kenneth Lonergan's writing and direction as well as the performances of Affleck, Hedges, and Williams. Following an early screening at the Sundance Film Festival, Rolling Stone hailed it as the standout film of 2016. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes awarded it a 96% approval rating based on 357 critiques, averaging an 8.80/10 score. Their summary highlights the film’s emotionally resonant drama filled with complex characters and marks it as another significant achievement for Lonergan as writer-director. On Metacritic, it holds a weighted score of 96 out of 100 from 53 critics—ranking as the third highest-rated film that year—signifying "universal acclaim." According to Metacritic's metrics, it was considered one of the top films of 2016 by critics.

Phil de Semlyen from Empire awarded five stars, describing the film as "masterfully narrated and exquisitely performed," drawing parallels between Affleck’s role and Marlon Brando’s in On the Waterfront. Justin Chang of Variety characterized it as a "finely textured, deeply immersive drama," noting that while it might not appeal to every arthouse enthusiast, its grounded storytelling and acting were commendable.

Critic Peter Travers included it among his favorite films of the year, remarking that it "leaves a lasting emotional impact." Matt Zoller Seitz at RogerEbert.com gave it four stars, recommending it as a film worth revisiting with new viewers. The New Yorker’s Anthony Lane described it as "meticulously crafted, powerfully acted, yet often difficult to watch."

Leah Greenblatt of Entertainment Weekly highlighted its profound emotional resonance. Offering a more tempered viewpoint, Lanre Bakare from The Guardian granted three stars, suggesting that the protagonist’s silence and sorrow somewhat lessened its effect. The movie featured prominently on numerous year-end lists from notable publications such as the American Film Institute, Rolling Stone, BBC, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post.

One of the most celebrated moments is the conversation between Randi and Lee years after their separation; Anthony Lane referred to this scene as the film's "pinnacle." Tom Shone praised Williams’ performance here as her defining achievement. Justin Chang described it as "a brief but intense expression of heartbreak," while Zoller likened its quality to Mike Leigh’s finest work. Affleck mentioned focusing on subtlety during this emotionally charged exchange.

In 2018, IndieWire ranked Lonergan’s screenplay fifth among American scripts of the 21st century, emphasizing its skillful blend of poignant sorrow with moments of levity that enhance its accessibility despite heavy subject matter.

Accolades

At the 89th Academy Awards, Manchester by the Sea garnered six nominations: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Affleck), Best Supporting Actor (Hedges), Best Supporting Actress (Williams), and Best Original Screenplay. It won two Oscars for Best Original Screenplay (Lonergan) and Best Actor (Affleck). Notably, it was the first film distributed by a digital streaming platform to receive a Best Picture nomination. Affleck also secured the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama, while the film earned four additional Golden Globe nods: Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress (Williams), and Best Screenplay.

During the 70th British Academy Film Awards, six nominations were received: Best Film, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Affleck), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Williams), and Best Original Screenplay (Lonergan). Both Affleck and Lonergan took home awards for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay respectively. The National Board of Review recognized Manchester by the Sea as its top film for 2016.

The movie has been acknowledged as one of its generation's finest works; it appeared in New York Magazine among "The Best Movies That Lost Best Picture at the Oscars," ranked number 120 in The New York Times "Readers' Choice" list titled "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century" (2025), and was placed at number 36 on Rolling Stones 2025 compilation of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."

External links

• – official website