Manchester by the Sea | The Art of Realism (Video Essay) 

This is my fav depressing movie of all time. It literally reflects real life more than real life. It's not an easy movie to watch and get. It's a masterpiece.

When Lee tells Patrick “I can’t beat it” it really puts everything into perspective. Some people cant move on. Some people cant forgive themselves. Sometimes the pain is just too great. Sometimes there is no resolution. And thats okay. Lee couldn’t overcome the grief he carries after losing all of his children, thats what makes this film so real. This situation is made so much more real given the backdrop of an icy new england town in the dead of winter. I grew up in new england and i spent the better part of my life there and grief and depression is almost inescapable for those that have lived and loved and lost there. I left and now i am in new york city, i dont think i wouldve ever left home if my father was still alive. I gave it my best shot. But i think that just like Lee, I couldn’t beat it, you know?

Lee is not afraid of dying, he's afraid of living the rest of his life as a disappointment... I feel so sad for him, I just wanna hug that guy.

The continuous jumping between timelines I think is symbolic of where Lee is emotionally. The timelines flow together because Lee is still living those events. He’s in the present but he’s also in the past. He can’t beat it. He can’t leave it behind. He’s still right there watching that house burn.

This movie hurts in many ways especially when you grow older and have experienced the sadness of life. I've been that broken man before

I gotta give this movie credit for doing something a bit rare, It does not end with a dramatic sad ending yet is one of the saddest endings I have ever experienced. The reason I say that is due to the handful of times Lee mentions or shows he will never move past what happened.

The thing I noticed most were the people surrounding the main characters. Through it all, regardless of what they are going through, there is always visual emphasis (or at least I was drawn to) the people going on with their lives in the background. The woman behind the desk has to look for Joe's belongings in the zip lock bag, the lawyer's assistant innocently asks Patrick if he wants a soda, the doctor awkwardly waits in the background for Lee to finish seeing his brother's body, Patricks girlfriend makes breakfast while Lee is arranging the funeral, I could go on.

The scene when Patrick is in Lee's room and stops to inspect the picture on the dresser. So crushing.

I just rewatched MbtS last week. Every time I watch it, I'm so upset that no one makes movies like this very often. It's all action or superhero crap. It's a phenomenal movie

I am always drawn to the subtle parts of a movie, when he says; I can't beat it, my heart breaks and as he says it, red lights, like those on a fire truck, pass behind him. I don't know if that was an accident or done on purpose.

This movie breaks my heart, and I love it so. That final image of the two of them on Joe's boat together w/out him it stays w/me. Recent grief in my life makes me hold this movie even closer. It's like you can imagine, but you don't know until you experience it.

For some reason I keep coming back to this movie. Ever since it came out. It is only now, almost eight years later, through the recent events in my life, that I can really understand the scenes. At the funeral of a very close relative, the atmosphere was incredibly depressing. An elderly gentleman wanted to pay his respects in front of the coffin. Despite the scolding of his nurse, he wanted to pour holy water on the coffin, but he had to climb 4 steps to do so. Our eyes were all red from crying so that we could hardly see anything, but we had to smile inwardly at what was happening in front of us. Grief isn't black and it isn't white, you can't forbid yourself to be happy. Everyone needs their time. Grief does not exist once, but can come and go. Thank you for your beautiful summary of the film.

As time passes and heartbreaks mount, there is more and more of Lee in me. Sometimes people can't just move on.

I never want to feel the feeling I had with this movie ever again. This is one of those movies that fucking broke me . I bawled for hours and hours. I’ve never wanted to die while watching a movie until this fucking movie. This movie is just beautiful

The best American film of the last ten years.

this is my favourite kind of channel. i’m hooked now lol looking forward to more content👍🏽

A wonderful analysis sir. All the words I wanted to say about this movie were put much better by yourself. Watched tonight 6 years after it having come out and never even heard of it. And I was brought to tears. I cried for one movie ever in my life and that was Marley and Me at 10 years old when the dog died. Such a wonderful movie that portays the classic "life's a bitch, then you die" trope, and will definitely watch again.

It should have been longer. Way longer. It felt too fast. A masterpiece. We need a directors cut

The most accurate depiction of child loss that I've ever seen.

Casey Affleck is probably the best actor extant IMHO

It is a bitter-sweet movie. What I can't stand is how disrespectful Patrick is with his uncle calling him names cursing, what a brat always wining, (good acting), I believe towards the end of the movie he is looking at the picture of his dead cousins and realize his uncle has double the grief with his children dead and brother dead, he is unable to care for him, because he is not emotionally stable yet, I think eventually he gets it.

'The Art of Realism ' - or the majority of quality British cinema 🤣

The best movie I ever hated watching.

I just finished watching this movie, and I had to watch a review to process it. Your review is amazing. The grief depicted in this movie is realistic and heartbreaking. The ending is a happy one in a way. Movie wise, it is depressing because we are so used to everything being resolved in the end, but in reality that is not the case. The ending is happy because, as you mentioned, he takes the first step in healing by being honest with himself. The ending is a happy one because he is taking the first steps of getting better.

I can't beat it. I can't beat it. I am sorry.

Just here to coment on every video.

Excellent I appreciate the film even more after watching this

Pretty clever observations

Narrator so good. I could listen for hours.

This video made me watch the movie! Thank you for leading me down a path of emotional suffering, Grubb!

Great video essay about a great film. I've only seen it twice but list it among my favorites. It is to grief what "Come and See" is to war. Great films that capture their emotions but are so intense you don't watch them as often as other films you love.

I watched the movie today for the very first time. I burst into tears....when Lee meet again whith his ex wife..... I Think he couldn't live in Manchester anymore due to his past.... that cointained grief..... got out for seconds.....he couldn't escape from. So devastating.

There is Something to be said about the subtle character development of Patrick, portrayed in the scene where he asks “can I get you anything uncle Lee”. After Lee got into a bar fight towards the end of the movie. In the beginning of the movie, Patty’s mind was preoccupied by his life, what he has going on and how he was grieving. It was all about him but this scene highlighted a shift in perspective where he looked into Lee’s past(by looking at the portraits of lee’s deceased children), realising that he was also grieving and then showed him kindness by asking this question instead of criticising him. The writing here is OUTSTANDING omg

This was a great movie. But I never want to watch it again.

Such an incredible film. My favorite film of 2016. I still remember seeing it in the theater and it was an incredible expedience. The acclaim and accolades this film has gotten is deserved and I think it deserves more awards and hopefully it will receive more attention and praise over the years. Great video man.

please drink some water bro. You've done some really great research and thought. Its just really hard to listen to your cheeks clapping

Amazing video, you brought up really interesting things and it's easy to understand ! (I'm french) Putting a tiny bit more intonation in what you say would make your video perfect. Well done :)

this is amazing, the fact that you talked throughout the video, but also showed some scenes is very difficult to do, you did an amazing job, i really enjoyed this, thank you mate

this movie is in my top 3 maybe 1 wt a movie wt an actor

Sometimes you're so broken, you can't be fixed.

This is my favorite depressing movie that shows the sad reality as it is. Could you guys suggest me other sad depressing movies like this ?

I think Kenneth attention to details on directing actors also contribute in achieving the cinematic realism. The way he played between pause and neurotic expression like when Lee suddenly curse after he deals his brother's death with silence. Like you said, Kenneth potray strong emotional gestures sporadically and unannounced without using a melodramatic score or dramatic camera angles/movement like most Hollywood movies do nowadays

good content, wishes

Thanks for the review. This movie is a masterpeace.

this movie just perfectly captures cinema to me

What's this music

In its own category it is the best movie ever

Thankyou, i needed this for my research project, keep up the great work :D

10/10 movie

Perfect title. There’s nothing there.

cool but i kinda find movies like this overly depressing too. i think the problem with pain is the tedency to focus on it too much. i have found lately that while we must not hide our pain. to focus on it TOO much will make us afraid to reach out and find hope. thats been my case for the past 20 years. i let my fear my pain my anger really keep me from doing what i want to do. and i can blame others all i want. but i am starting to realize maybe i and i alone was the root cause of why i have felt so trapped, and im trying to force myself to get out of that bubble to reach out more. i think focusing on pain just to focus on pain can lose sight of the bigger picture. and we need to all learn to move on and let go. like him refusing to have dinner with that girl. because of his own pain. us guys are so good at pushing away the one person who might actually give a shit about us arnt we? but i do like the way the film focus a bit more on realism though. but you know hes not processing things like he should hes got a nephew to look after now. and due to that he neesds to get over his sh*t to be a father figure that the boy needs. if he was alone and did not have anyone to take care of it might be a diffrent story. but you know. while grief and loss is tough if you let it dominate your life. yeah........but interesting movie none the less. makes you think for sure.

Casey Affleck's performance might be the best I have ever seen. You'll never see a better portrayal of grief

i think the worst scene is when that girl is reaching out to him saying her heart is broken and she knows his is. and he refuses to reach out to him. pardon me but what a stupid assh*ole . i mean. hes basically saying his own pain and his own loss matters more then hers. thats whats hes saying. id KILL to have a nice attractive woman like that just wanting to talk or connect with me at all. and yet this douche-bag rather push her away because he cant get over his grief instead of reaching out giving her a big hug and saying "i hurt too and i dont know how to deal with it. but maybe we can deal with it together". i have a grandmother who is like that. who rather be negative and focus on her pain then to reach out to others and even when people reach out to her like her own family sometimes she pushes then away. there is nothing worse or more emotionally draining then dealing with someone like that. sorry i have no sympathy for this guy and i think hes being a complete selfish idiot. i think this is a good movie to show what NOT to do in situations like that. sure things dont always work out. but life does NOT have to be like that!

Very well analyzed!

was a great movie and a wonderfull essay :)

One of the saddest but most outstanding movies in many years.

This movie was funny but so heartbreaking, I had to pause it to weep at one point. I'm glad I took a chance on it seeing as I didn't know anything going in.

Why is your tongue smacking on every consonant bro Jesus

Awesome analysis and well put together. Love this movie and your reflections

not as good as Love Liza, but pretty good

Good stuff

A+

I have never cried watching a before

Lesley Barber’s music for this movie is in perfect melody with the main objective of the movie which is “Its okay not to be okay”! Appreciate!

I really needed the narrative commentry video when someone explain a picture, how Its a masterpiece i stumbled on this video. Thank you

Is this I DID A THING Alex narrating ?

This is a wonderful vid essay. However, I strongly disagree with your contention that Lee doesn’t overcome his flaws. He does. Instead of retreating into a closed-off, handyman world to wall out the past-as he did with previous family trauma-he takes proactive measures to make sure that: a. Patrick will have the best possible life, and b. Uncle Lee and Pat will have a relationship that continues into the future.

do feel rather stupid that i didnt even notice the death of lee's brother not being burried and lee's passt not being burried, thanks man!

i saw this in theatres and it was just cathartic to the max. Incredible film, we probably won't see anything like this ever again.

No cuts needed

I sobbed out loud at this movie! I get so drawn in by them. 😭

It’s agonizing.

amazing movie

My boi is wicked sad

What does he mean “he can’t beat it?” I’m still wondering :(

Great essay!!

good video

cruel movie as the life sometimes is. 😢

This is a movie you can’t unsee 😢 once watched, every time you think about it you get hurt in the core of your soul

Great review

Beautiful!

Love this movie. You should drink more water

What's the song in the intro called?

👍

Masterpiece of a movie. The scene where Lee hands grocery to his brother after the fire incident is so heartbreaking and real

This movie kept me crying till the end

Good summary. Was this a school project?

The scene where he admits he cannot beat it truly broke me. Addiction has coloured my life but this film helped me see the ways I can heal.

This movie showing that there are things in life that a person never gets past, the depressing way it is shot, the impact the hopelessness of the main character has on those around him also summarized with “I can’t beat it” makes this one of the best comedies of all time.

One of the best movies of all time.

Brilliant video about a brilliant film. Thank you for this❤️

Lee’s heart broken into pieces 😢