20 Best Movie Performances Of 2016
2. Casey Affleck - Manchester By The Sea
Casey Affleck unquestionably graduates to the A-list with his quietly shattering performance as a man returning to his hometown following the death of his brother in order to care for his teenage nephew.
Affleck's greatest strength here is his subtlety: he never overplays a scene and internalises a lot, requiring viewers to dig deep into his anguish and unpack it for themselves.
Yes, there are emotional confrontations, but Kenneth Lonergan's script refuses to take the easy way out or give Affleck's Lee a tidy leaping-off point. It's all about baby steps of human growth, and Affleck nails the essence of that uneasy journey.