Movies can be a way to escape your daily routine by getting different perspectives on life and living through others’ experiences. For a “girls night,” I decided to go to a movie and thought it would be a good idea to see Manchester by the Sea.

My mistake. Manchester by the Sea is supposedly favored to win Best Film Drama at Sunday’s Golden Globes. On the contrary, I truly believe that this movie should be given the Most Depressing Award.

Manchester by the Sea follows Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck), a man who has quite literally lost everything and the path he chooses to live after his life falls apart. His misfortune has led him to become an alcoholic with a rude attitude and random outbursts of violence. After his calamity, he moved away from his hometown of Manchester, Massachusetts for a fresh start. Chandler is soon reeled back in to his hometown after the death of his brother, Joe Chandler (Kyle Chandler). When back in Manchester, Chandler learns that he is now the legal guardian of Joe’s son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). With the patience resembling a young child, Chandler is now faced with raising a teenage boy. Can he handle the pressure and responsibility that comes with raising a child that lost his father? What will happen when he runs into his ex-wife and his friends from the past? The ending is more shocking than you would think.

While the storyline of this movie is sub-par, the film quality and portrayed mood is stunning. Kenneth Lonergan, the director and screenplay writer, along with producers Matt Damon, Kimberly Stewart, Chris Moore, Lauren Beck and Kevin J. Walsh made an outstanding team in the production of this movie. The camera composition and variety of different angles for each shot helped me feel as though I was right there with Lee Chandler through his life’s downfall. The emotion portrayed by each character was so well done that it was hard not to connect with what they were feeling. I was definitely hooked on the storyline and was overwhelmed with all the emotions pouring out of each scene.

In Manchester by the Sea, there was very little music involved in the making of the film. This was not one of those films where there is a soundtrack that is released around the same time the movie is; however, I liked the fact that there was not a lot of music, even if it was overused. I took away the purpose of a serious and meaningful movie. 

Even though I did not care for this movie very much, and it definitely did not make my top ten, I would still encourage you to go out and judge it for yourself. There could be a hidden meaning that I am missing, or it could become your favorite movie of all time.

If you go out of your way to see this movie, keep an open mind. You never will know if you like it until you see it.