Karen Allen stars in “Year by the Sea.” Karen Allen Experiencing a Year by the Sea By Jay S. Jacobs One of the dirty little secrets of Hollywood is that for actresses, even ones who have been stars in huge films, it is difficult to get good roles after you reach a certain age. Therefore, the film Year by the Sea, based on the best-selling memoir of the same name by Joan Anderson, is something of an anomaly. Not only is the main character a woman over 60, but two of the main s