Year by the Sea

Released Sep 8, 2017

1h 54m

Drama

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List

48%

25 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

After 30 years as a wife and mother, Joan retreats to Cape Cod rather than follow her husband to Kansas. Intent on rediscovering herself, but plagued with guilt, she questions her decision until stumbling upon a spirited mentor. Supported by her literary agent and a host of locals, including a sexy fisherman, Joan learns to embrace the ebb and flow of life.

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Marsha C

Anyone who has or knows a wife or mom should watch this movie. Becoming a long-term partner or parent is a life altering event for women as our societies still rely heavily on them to dedicate the majority of their time and energy to the success of the family unit. Years, sometimes decades, into the experience women can find they've lost their since of self/personal-identity through the years of service to others. This often occurs at key turning points in their lives such as becoming an empty nester, retiree, divorcee, or widow. This film explores one wife's journey of finding herself again through self reflection, the courage and willingness to change, and a supportive community. If you want hope for the future or just a feel good film this is for you.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

05/05/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Loved it!! A must see for all women but men will like it too.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

This is a beautifully shot and scored, thoughtful grown up movie that is better than its trailer--and, to its credit, perhaps, seems inexplicable to some of the bloviating professional critics but will resonate with all sorts of people considering their options for the "third act" of their lives. Film is a thought-provoking work of art--and that is good enough for me...

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I had the misfortune of seeing this. It felt more like 5 years by the sea. Quite possibly the worst movie I've seen in the last 5 years! Dialogue was unbearable, nice scenery of Cape Cod. Spare yourself the time & money. Honestly, I can't believe it made it into the theaters!

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Loved this movie... I laughed... I cried. It was very real and I just loved the scenery and the music and the acting. This movie has everything. A must see...??

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Very sweet movie with two terrific actresses, Karen Allen and Celia Imrie, in a beautiful setting (Cape Cod). The messages are simple but the ending is not. Lovely portrayals of older women, and the sorrows and joys of a lifelong marriage. This is a "chick flick" for the middle-aged, and not in a bad way.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/28/23

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Alexander Janko

Director

Karen Allen

Joan

Yannick Bisson

Cahoon

Michael Cristofer

Robin

Celia Imrie

Erikson

Monique Curnen

Luce

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A Woman, a Part

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87%

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What They Had

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for What They Had

45%

80%

Miracles From Heaven

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64%

70%

Hope Gap

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76%

49%

The Escape

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Year by the Sea: Trailer 1

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

Even though the movie's observations about relationship can veer into boilerplate self-help clichés, the cast-particularly Allen-is so good that you might not mind.

Mar 23, 2020

Full Review

Bill Goodykoontz

Arizona Republic

The dialogue consists of almost comically generic self-help pabulum, uttered with the pseudo sincerity of someone pretending it's something enlightening. It's not.

Rated: 2/5

Sep 22, 2017

Full Review

Susan Wloszczyna

Washington Post

Instead of a hearty chowder of emotional highs and lows, first-time director Alexander Janko, who also adapted the script, settles for a diluted, Campbell's-Soup version of getting one's groove back.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 21, 2017

Full Review

Kip Mooney

Fresh Fiction

The script never gives the characters as much depth as these talented actors deserve.

Rated: C+

Aug 10, 2021

Full Review

Dominic Griffin

DCist

The world needs more films for older audiences, so such viewers can see themselves on screen and so the seasoned veterans that get these roles can continue to get work long after their superhero movie days are gone.

Rated: 4.5/10

Jul 16, 2019

Full Review

Alexandra MacAaron

Women's Voices for Change

A quiet movie, as it should be. Joan finds herself because she slows down and listens to her own needs and wants, to nature and the day-to-day rhythms of the village she's become a temporary part of.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 1, 2017

Full Review

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Synopsis

After 30 years as a wife and mother, Joan retreats to Cape Cod rather than follow her husband to Kansas. Intent on rediscovering herself, but plagued with guilt, she questions her decision until stumbling upon a spirited mentor. Supported by her literary agent and a host of locals, including a sexy fisherman, Joan learns to embrace the ebb and flow of life.

Director: Alexander Janko
Producer: Cressey Belden
Screenwriter: Alexander Janko
Distributor: Real Women Make Waves
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 8, 2017, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 19, 2017
Runtime: 1h 54m
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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