(CNN) Kenneth Lonergan has earned a reputation for finely drawn character studies, and the writer-director outdoes himself with "Manchester by the Sea." Featuring Casey Affleck in an Oscar-caliber performance, it's a deeply affecting little gem of a film, which should gently sweep filmgoers up in its melancholy tides. So suffice it to say that Affleck's character, Lee Chandler, is sleepwalking his way through life as a custodian/handyman when we meet him, living on the outskirts of Boston. His brother (Kyle Chandler), who had long suffered from heart disease, dies, forcing Lee to return to Manchester to see to his affairs. Unlike so many conventional movies, "Manchester" (which is being released by Amazon Studios) doesn't rush its story or force sudden epiphanies on its characters.

Source: CNN November 17, 2016 15:10 UTC