Secondary drowning is a grim death. Following a near drowning incident, the liquid remaining in the lungs of a victim can trigger the inward extrusion of bodily floods. Hours or even days after escaping the water, the body begins to drown in its own liquids.
Manchester by the Sea, the highly anticipated drama from writer / director Kenneth Lonergan, tells the story of a man experiencing the emotional equivalent of secondary drowning. The film is set up to be every bit as agonizing as that would suggest, but with its cathartic score and Lonergan’s habit of underplaying his most dramatic moments, what could be an excruciating journey has a disarming grace. Received with almost unanimous praise, it has been acquired by Amazon and should...