With Summer just about over, The Way, Way Back turns back the clock a couple of months, to the height of the season, delivering a gently funny and genuinely feel good coming of age story. The directorial debut of The Descendant's Oscar winning writing team of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (also on writing duties here, as well as putting in some hilarious supporting turns), Liam James takes the lead as Duncan, an awkward, introverted 14-year who reluctantly goes on vacation with his mother Pam (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell), who subtly belittles and emotionally abuses Duncan at every turn, to Trent's beach house in Cape Cod. With no friends and his mom abandoning him to spend time with Trent and other adults, Duncan spends his days moping through town. Things pick up when he gets a job at the local water park, Water Wizz, forming a friendship with its manager Owen (Sam Rockwell), and finally coming out of his shell.
While this type of story is nothing new, Rash and Faxon have delivered probably the most enjoyable and heart warming coming of age movies in recent memory, striking the perfect balance between drama and comedy. The script is tight and smartly written, crammed full of fun little details and character moments, which the wonderful cast bring to life with gusto. It's hard not to empatise with Duncan, we all felt something akin to how he feels at some point in our teenage lives, and James puts in an immensely likable turn. He captures the awkwardness of being a teenager, where every problem is the end of the world, perfectly, and his romance with next door neighbour Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) is incredibly sweet and real. The story moves along at nice pace, each scene flowing from one to another, and watching Duncan grow as a character is a delight, and will no doubt awaken a twinge of nostalgia in any adult.
There is a fantastic cast assembled here, and they each deliver a wonderful performance. Steve Carell puts in a surprising turn as Trent, instantly cementing himself as a dick by telling Duncan he is a three out of ten in the opening scene. As the story progresses, your dislike for him will only grow, and Carell completely sells it. Collette put in her usual excellent performance, making you really feel for Pam, even though her blindness to Trent's emotional abuse of Duncan makes you dislike her as much as Trent at times. Alison Janney puts in a hilarious turn as Susanna's hard drinking mother, pretty much every line out of her mouth being comedy gold. Her exchanges with her cross eyed son will have you on the floor, and she threatens to steal the entire show. But that honour goes to Sam Rockwell, playing Owen as a man sized child who views responsibilities and rules as applying to everybody but him. He lights up the screen whenever he's on, firing out jokes in rapid succession (watch out for him quoting Bonnie Tyler's I Need A Hero). he gets a sweet romance himself with Maya Rudolph, but it's his friendship with Duncan that proves to be the heart and soul of the movie.
A refreshing escape from this Summer's crop of blockbusters, The Way, Way Back is a charming and wonderfully acted piece of cinema, that will not fail to put a huge smile on your face. Highly recommended!!
While this type of story is nothing new, Rash and Faxon have delivered probably the most enjoyable and heart warming coming of age movies in recent memory, striking the perfect balance between drama and comedy. The script is tight and smartly written, crammed full of fun little details and character moments, which the wonderful cast bring to life with gusto. It's hard not to empatise with Duncan, we all felt something akin to how he feels at some point in our teenage lives, and James puts in an immensely likable turn. He captures the awkwardness of being a teenager, where every problem is the end of the world, perfectly, and his romance with next door neighbour Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) is incredibly sweet and real. The story moves along at nice pace, each scene flowing from one to another, and watching Duncan grow as a character is a delight, and will no doubt awaken a twinge of nostalgia in any adult.
There is a fantastic cast assembled here, and they each deliver a wonderful performance. Steve Carell puts in a surprising turn as Trent, instantly cementing himself as a dick by telling Duncan he is a three out of ten in the opening scene. As the story progresses, your dislike for him will only grow, and Carell completely sells it. Collette put in her usual excellent performance, making you really feel for Pam, even though her blindness to Trent's emotional abuse of Duncan makes you dislike her as much as Trent at times. Alison Janney puts in a hilarious turn as Susanna's hard drinking mother, pretty much every line out of her mouth being comedy gold. Her exchanges with her cross eyed son will have you on the floor, and she threatens to steal the entire show. But that honour goes to Sam Rockwell, playing Owen as a man sized child who views responsibilities and rules as applying to everybody but him. He lights up the screen whenever he's on, firing out jokes in rapid succession (watch out for him quoting Bonnie Tyler's I Need A Hero). he gets a sweet romance himself with Maya Rudolph, but it's his friendship with Duncan that proves to be the heart and soul of the movie.
A refreshing escape from this Summer's crop of blockbusters, The Way, Way Back is a charming and wonderfully acted piece of cinema, that will not fail to put a huge smile on your face. Highly recommended!!
