man. that was heavy,,,,,, 

i’m really not sure how i feel about this. it’s rather inconsistent in its intensity; it ebbs and flows but none of it felt quite right in terms of organization. i think the best way to summarize my mixed feelings is by saying this: Manchester by the Sea would be better fit as a short film... or, at least, a shorter film. most of the punch it packs lies in the handful of vignettes that better capture the emotion it’s trying to convey as standalone pieces. as a 138-min movie, the integrity of the story begins to sag; some parts feel downright grating to sit through. this uneven mixture of impressively impactful moments and utterly dull ones culminate into something that is ultimately too lukewarm for my taste.

one thing that is consistently good: the score! a very unique and innovative use of haunting melodies to convey the tone of a scene. kudos for that bit.

p.s. is it bad that i recognized the brand of vegetarian chicken strips they had in their freezer,,