So far, “Manchester by the Sea” is the awards’ season and critics’ darling.

This reviewer isn’t buying it.

“Manchester by the Season” is nearly insufferable, only salvaged by the fine-tuned performance of Casey Affleck (a favorite of mine; “Gone Baby Gone,” 2007; supporting actor Oscar nomination, “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.” 2007; and a certain Oscar actor nominee for “Manchester”), whose muted, emotionally-cauterized performance interrupted by violent physical outbursts provides some relief from what is otherwise a dreary prospect. The feel-good holiday season film “Manchester by the Sea” most certainly is not.

Affleck plays Lee Chandler, a Boston, Quincy, Mass., to be specific, supervisor of four apartment buildings who’s not only gruff with tenants and the random flirtatious female in the bar, he’s downright obnoxious and mean-spirited. He’s a poor-man’s Scrooge.

What’s lurking in his past is “A Christmas Carol” death, haunting and tragedy shared by he and his ex-wife, Randi (Michelle Williams, who also saves the film with a solid and deserved supporting actress Oscar nominee performance) that he was personally responsible (or irresponsible) and one that he just can’t seem to get past the painful memory.

On a side note, and without playing spoiler here, why Lee wasn’t charged with criminal negligence or involuntary manslaughter is one of the screenplay’s chief plot holes. A scene depicts a police interrogation. But nothing is said about what would likely result in a district attorney probe.

Be that as it may dismay, Lee is named guardian of his nephew, Patrick (Lucas Hedges, resembling a younger Jesse Eisenberg and acting with almost as much raw energy) when his brother, Joe (Kyle Chandler), who lives in Manchester, Mass., where he operates a fishing boat, dies. Lee must choose between his newly-inaugurated parental responsibilities and his singular insular drunken malcontent existence. Guess which he chooses?

There are several subplots.

One involves the repair of brother Joe’s fishing boat.

Another involves the relationship of Patrick and his girlfriends (scenes of which are squirm-inducing) and his fledgling teen rock band.

The other involves Patrick’s drunkard mother, Elise (Gretchen Mol), who reappears briefly as a clean and sober born-again Christian married to none other than who appears to be an uncredited Matthew Broderick. The writer-director treats her commendable transformation with disdain.

The flimsiness of the film is evidenced such that when Broderick appears, it takes you right out of the film. Is that Matthew Broderick, you wonder?

Director Kenneth Lonergan, who wrote the screenplay, tries to fix it in the mix, plastering important-sounding (and admittedly beautiful) choral, classical and symphonic music all over the soundtrack, especially in scenes where there seems to be dialogue or would likely be, but none is heard. This gives the interesting effect of a silent movie scene. However, the acting, direction and cinematography of these choral-induced snoozers isn’t particularly memorable.

Lonnegan (screenwriter, “Analyze This,” 1999: “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,” 2000; Oscar original screenplay nominee, “You Can Count on Me,” 2000,“ and Gangs of New York,” 2002) reveals the story’s essence via Lee’s ruminative flashbacks. This keeps the viewer off-kilter. Lonnegan pads the meandering, overly-long and depressing film with street whizzes of passing scenery, shots of Lee driving his Jeep Cherokee and chilly scenes of winter, which while snowy and beautiful, render “Manchester by the Sea” even more emotionally cold.

“I can’t beat it,” Lee concludes.

Fortunately, if you take my advice, you can.

“Manchester by the Sea,”MPAA Rated R (Restricted. Children Under 17 Require Accompanying Parent or Adult Guardian) for language throughout and some sexual content; Genre; Drama; Run Time: 2 hrs., 27 min.; Distributed by Roadside Attractions.

Credit Readers Anonymous:“Manchester by the Sea,” unhyphenated, was filmed in Manchester-by-the-Sea (hyphenated), Massachusetts.

Box Office,Dec. 16: “Rogue One” became the second-biggest December opening ever, $155 million, behind its stable-mate, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” ($247.9 million, Dec. 20, 2015), scuttling “Moana”s three-week run at No. 1, as it dropped to No. 2, with $11.6 million, $161.8 million, four weeks;

3. “Office Christmas Party,” $8.4 million, $31.5 million, two weeks; 4. “Collateral Beauty,” $7 million, opening; 5. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” $5 million, $207.6 million, five weeks; 6. “Manchester by the Sea,” $4.1 million, $14 million, five weeks; 7. “La La Land,” $4 million, $5.2 million, two weeks; 8. “Arrival,” $2.7 million, $86.4 million, six weeks; 9. “Doctor Strange,” $2 million, $226 million, seven weeks; 10. “Nocturnal Animals,” $1.3 million, $8.8 million, five weeks.

Unreel,Dec. 21:

“Sing,”PG: Garth Jennings and Christophe Lourdelet directs the voice talents of Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane and Scarlett Johansson in the animation comedy musical about a koala named Buster Moon who stages a singing contest to raise money to restore a theater.

“Passengers,”PG-13: Morten Tyldum directs Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, Michael Sheen and Andy Garcia in the science fiction adventure about a spacecraft going to a distant colony when two passengers awaken 90 years too early.

“Why Him?,”R: John Hamburg directs Zoey Deutch, James Franco, Bryan Cranston and Megan Mullally in the comedy about a father’s rivalry with his daughter’s rich boyfriend. (Opens Dec. 23.)

Two Popcorn Boxes out of Five Popcorn Boxes