Manchester by the Sea.

The story of Lee Chandler is a study of a mans decent into depression brought about by an accident that leads to a terrible tragedy for which he blames himself. In Kenneth Lonergan’s movie Manchester by the Sea (2016), which he wrote and directed, we learn how a simple mistake can alter the lives of the people directly involved as well as people on the periphery of the incident.

Its brother Joe's death that brings Lee back home.

 

Lee with nephew Patrick.

When we first meet Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) we quickly relies that he is a bitter and lonely man who works as a janitor in a private block of apartments in Boston. On receiving the news that his older brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has died from a pre-existing congenital heart condition Lee returns to his home town of Manchester by the Sea a fishing village in Massachusetts where he was born and raised. Lee not only realises that he is going to have to confront the events that drove him away in the first place, revealed in an extended flashback, but he then finds out that Joe has made him the sole guardian of his teenage son Patrick (Lucas Hedges), a role he knows he is incapable of fulfilling.  

 

Lee's ex-wife Randi.

This is an authentic and stunning character study from Lonergan whose writing along with Douglas Aibel skill at casting really makes this poignant tale of grief and guilt a must see movie.  This critically acclaimed film that quite rightly been nominated for six awards at the 89^th Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director Best Supporting Actor (Hedges) Best Supporting Actress (Michelle Williams who plays Lee Chandlers wife Randi) and Best Actor for Affleck and Best Original Screenplay for Lonergan, two nominations it must surly must win and did at last nights BAFTA’s in London. 

Out of the Furnace.

Some filmgoers will argue that to much attention is given to the soundtrack, with some commending the idea that music in a film is not required but I would put forward an argument that it depends on the movie. For example would Tarantino's Pulp Fiction (1994) be such a great film without a soundtrack, would Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) be quite so haunting and obviously I could go on. Well get to the point I can hear you saying - ok. Scott Coopers follow up film to the award winning Crazy Heart (2009) has a soundtrack that really compliments what we see on the screen. Even without the Pearl Jam track Release that plays over both the opening and closing credits, it's Dickon Hinchliffe’s score that really underpins the gritty and grim atmosphere in an already atmospheric film, Hinchliffe was a founder of Tindersticks who were credited with six soundtracks for French director Claire Denis including 35 rhums (2008) and White Material (2010). Out of the Furnace (2013) runs the gauntlet of emotions in a film that harps back to the great tradition of tough American movies.  A cross fertilisation between the inbred inhabitants of Winters Bone (2009), the belligerent spirit of The Fighter (2010) and the bleak steelworks setting's and blue collar approach of Michael Cimino's The Deer Hunter (1978) is where I see this movie drawing its influences.

 

Russell Baze.

Co-written by Cooper, the movie is set in Braddock, Pittsburgh in 2008. Basically it's the story of two brothers Russell and Rodney Baze. Russell is a hardworking man who cares deeply for his family, girlfriend Lena Taylor, his dying father and of course his troubled brother. Russell works at the local steel mill while his brother is in the army, deployed to Iran four times which has done nothing to improve his state of mind. While on leave he has run up gambling debts with the local crime boss John Petty and has to resort to bare- knuckle fighting in an attempt to pay this off. This in turn leads to his involvement with Harlan DeGroat an evil drug addicted psychopath who gets off on extreme violence. Meanwhile the hard working Russell is sent to prison for a drink driving accident. When he is released the close confines of his world have crumpled, his father is dead, Rodney is throwing fights and Lena has left him for the local cop and is now pregnant.       

 

Rodney Baze.

Be warned this is a violent film right from the opening scene in the drive in movie, up to its gripping climax. Cooper even describes it as ‘an examination of the nature of violence in a society where men solve their own problems'. Certainly an interesting concept and it may sound a familiar story with its Cane and Abel complex reworked, i.e. the good and bad side of the same coin, but don't be fooled this is a brilliantly made movie with a story that never allows the viewer to look away from the screen. DOP Masanobu Takayanagi cinematography captures a vanishing way of life with its deep sense of Americana and the economic decline of industrial America and it's effect on the population of once thriving community but still managing to find beauty in what has essentially become a depressing place. 

       

Harlan DeGroat.

                                                                                                                                           

The director has been quoted as saying that it was important for the film's credibility that it was shoot on location in the town of Braddock and he was proved right. He is obviously a man who has a clear vision of what he wanted from the films strong cast. Even the smaller parts are taken by some very experienced actors including Sam Shepard as Uncle 'Red' Baze and Forest Whitaker as Police Officer Wesley Barnes both of whom make a great job of there minimal time on screen. Willem Defoe plays John Petty a manipulating villain with a sympathetic streak with Woody Harrelson in award winning form as Harlan DeGroat a vicious man who admits to having a problem with everyone! The only female lead is Zoe Saldana as the Russell/Wesley love interest, Saldana will be seen later this year as Nina Simone in the biopic of her life. That just leaves our two main leads, Casey Affleck plays the war veteran Rodney Baze with just the right amount of calculated tension and Christian Bale, riveting as Russell, in what is probably one of his best performances - certainly worthy of consideration for an Award at next years Academy Awards.  It’s not often that I watch a movie twice within a few days!

I’m Still Here

As I only saw half of RBCs Monday nights Film Club offering I suppose it’s unfair to judge I’m Still Here (2010) in its entirety, but unless the second half improved beyond all recognition then I will assume that that it was just as bad as the first half. A story of self-destruction involving a known public figure namely one Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix is best known for his portrayal of the great country singer Johnny Cash (A man I’ve seen perform live twice!) I Walk the Line 2005 won him a Golden Globe for Best Actor he has also been nominated for awards in Gladiator 2000, Buffalo Soldiers 2001and Hotel Rwanda 2004 amongst others, therefore its no exaggeration to state that he was a successful and popular actor. For this reason it was a surprise to all and sundry when he announced his retirement from acting and his intended transition into a career as a hip hop artist, and even a bigger surprise when his brother-in-law and fellow actor Casey Affleck decided to make a ‘documentary’ about Phoenix’s crash and burn.

The big question is was this movie originally intended as a documentary or, as it was later claimed, a mockumentry? I think the answer is who cares! Mockumentry or documentary this is possible the worst film I have ever had the misfortune to see. I’m certainly no prude but this sordid movie with its bad language, male nudity and drug taking offended me, as did the mumbling performance from the lead actor, we even had to be provided with subtitles. Summing up; its mind numbingly boring tripe.

The Killer Inside Me

I’m quite sure that Stieg Larsson would not have liked Michael Winterbottoms first fully US-shot film The Killer Inside Me (2010) as Stieg was adamantly opposed to violence against women and Winterbottoms film has courted adverse publicity and a certain amount of outrage for that very reason. John Curran and Winterbottom faithfully adapt the movie from Jim Thompson’s 1952 novel with great period detail in the classic Hollywood noir tradition. The story, set in the curious small town world of Central City in the West Texas of the 1950’s, unfolds through the eyes of Lou Ford. Ford appears to be a clean cut, slow talking, polite and an understanding deputy sheriff but under the surface our lawman is a man menaced by a secret sickness with a taste for extreme violence and rough sex, the man is also a rapist and a killer.

Lover or killer?

The violence in this movie steers the film away from being an entertaining yarn into something very dark and disturbing. The aggression is primarily against women with one particular beating the worst single act of screen brutality I’ve seen since Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible (2002). Our own British Board of Film Classification, when giving the film a 18 certificate stated ‘Although several scenes are very strong and impactful with the potential to cause offence to some viewers, the scenes in question do not endorse or eroticise sexual assault or pose a credible harm risk to viewers of 18 and over’ The violent behaviour is certainly far from being titillating. You pay’s your money, you takes your choice.

Gone Baby Gone

As I have said previously I first discovered American author Dennis Lehane via the Clint Eastwood directed film Mystic River (2003) a brooding thriller about a 19 year-old girls cold-blooded murder that starred Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Kevin Bacon. Then there was the three Lehane scripted episodes of the HBO series The Wire. The latest novel from the award-winning author to be adapted is the 2010 psychological mystery thriller Shutter Island directed by Martin Scorsese.

Kenzie and Gennaro conducting the investigation

I had read the first of Lehane’s novels about the private investigating team of Kenzie and Gennaro, a very enjoyable crime thriller called A Drink Before The War before seeing Gone Baby Gone (2007) for the second time. Gone Baby Gone was the second of his novels to be adapted into a film. Directed by Ben Affleck and starring brother Casey as Patrick Kenzie and Michelle Monaghan as Angela Gennaro as two young private detectives who are hired to take a look into the mysterious disappearance of a four-year-old child? This mesmerising thriller about the seamier side of Boston proves that Ben Afleck is a better director than actor. Perhaps you should leave the acting to your brother Ben?