# Manchester by the Sea question \[major spoiler\]

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [January 7, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559 "2017-01-07T20:36:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/1 "2017-01-07T20:36:00Z")

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Just saw this and loved it. However, a question arose:

Is Patrick Lee’s son?

And how do you know?

Thanks,  
mmm

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**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/2 "2017-01-07T20:38:10Z")

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I don’t remember _any_ suggestion of that in the film.

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**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/3 "2017-01-07T22:16:51Z")

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No, I don’t believe that he’s his son.

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**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/4 "2017-01-07T23:15:02Z")

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Thanks.

I ask because my movie-going partner mentioned it in passing afterwards. She pointed out Lee had two daughters and a son, and that they showed the firefighters removing only two bodies from the burned house.

After some discussion she admitted she probably had that wrong. I thought maybe I had missed something, so I came here to ask.

ETA: And a scene in a vehicle between Lee and Joe, shortly after the fire, indicated to her that Joe was assuming the parenting of Patrick. I don’t remember the scene myself.  
mmm

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**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/5 "2017-01-07T23:23:21Z")

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> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#):
>
> Thanks.
> 
> I ask because my movie-going partner mentioned it in passing afterwards. She pointed out Lee had two daughters and a son, and that they showed the firefighters removing only two bodies from the burned house.

That’s right but I don’t believe that his son would be Patrick’s age by the time this film takes place. He also keeps the three picture frame with him wherever he goes, that we are to assume holds the photos of his two daughters and son.

Of course, we never see the photos themselves and I assume they’re his kids.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manchester-by-the-sea-question-major-spoiler/776559/6 "2017-01-07T23:34:20Z")

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> [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](#):
>
> That’s right but I don’t believe that his son would be Patrick’s age by the time this film takes place. He also keeps the three picture frame with him wherever he goes, that we are to assume holds the photos of his two daughters and son.
> 
> Of course, we never see the photos themselves and I assume they’re his kids.

I said that exact thing about the picture frames. This helped sway her toward my position.  
mmm