Written and directed by Jim Rash and Nate Faxon (the Academy Award-winning writers of The Descendents), The Way, Way Back tells the tale of Duncan (Liam James), a 14-year-old boy forced to vacation at his mom’s jerk boyfriend’s summer home and who is angry, insecure, and devoid of friends as his mom seems to be having some sort of weird adult spring break. He crushes on the neighbor’s daughter (AnnaSophia Robb) and rides his bike to the nearby water park in order to escape. It’s there that he meets Owen (Sam Rockwell), the manager of Water Wizz who has a certain confidence and joie de vivre that is infectious to young Duncan after being marginalized and put down by mom’s boyfriend (Steve Carell).
The Way, Way Back isn’t anything new really. Adventureland and Little Miss Sunshine both lend heavily as inspirations. This film may be a fairly generic coming-of-age story, but it has one ace in the hole: Sam Rockwell. Sure, he’s playing a similar character he always tends to play: cocksure, wacky, slightly unstable, and unreliable but full of heart and loyalty. His character brings out the confidence in Duncan to stand up for himself and go for what he wants. There are also some great supporting characters, like Rash’s sadsack Louis and Allison Janney as the lush neighbor. Toni Collette plays Duncan’s mom in a way that makes you really miss The United States of Tara. She can say so much with just a single expression.
But, the movie can’t overcome its genericness and the not-so-great acting of Liam James, who’s forced to carry a movie on his shoulders. No amount of charming Sam Rockwell dancing can truly compensate (okay, that’s not entirely true...). You should still go see The Way, Way Back, but just know you’re not going into a movie that will surprise you in the slightest. Luckily, you have some Sam Rockwell to make you smile along the way.
--Darcie Duttweiler
The Way, Way Back isn’t anything new really. Adventureland and Little Miss Sunshine both lend heavily as inspirations. This film may be a fairly generic coming-of-age story, but it has one ace in the hole: Sam Rockwell. Sure, he’s playing a similar character he always tends to play: cocksure, wacky, slightly unstable, and unreliable but full of heart and loyalty. His character brings out the confidence in Duncan to stand up for himself and go for what he wants. There are also some great supporting characters, like Rash’s sadsack Louis and Allison Janney as the lush neighbor. Toni Collette plays Duncan’s mom in a way that makes you really miss The United States of Tara. She can say so much with just a single expression.
But, the movie can’t overcome its genericness and the not-so-great acting of Liam James, who’s forced to carry a movie on his shoulders. No amount of charming Sam Rockwell dancing can truly compensate (okay, that’s not entirely true...). You should still go see The Way, Way Back, but just know you’re not going into a movie that will surprise you in the slightest. Luckily, you have some Sam Rockwell to make you smile along the way.
--Darcie Duttweiler
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