Forming a new family feeling when your father or mother has found a new love is challenging. That new person has to find his/her place in the house without forcing themselves into a position where they take the place of someone who is not there anymore. In the Way Way Back we follow a family who is going to a beach house to try and become closer. Duncan (Liam James) is a fourteen year old boy who is the silent type who likes to stay at the house and does not spend a lot of time with other kids. His mother has a new boyfriend (Steve Carrell) who on the way to the beach house makes clear to him what he thinks of him and it isn’t positive. It’s one of those summers which could change their relationship forever.
Although this movie tells a coming of age story which you have probably seen many times before, it does so in an extremely entertaining way. The movie does have a lot of drama as Duncan is struggling with various issues, but a thick sauce of humour on top of it all makes this a great package. Liam James portrays his character in an impressive way, he convinces as a boy who slowly finds his footing and moves out of his protective shell. From all the characters, it is Sam Rockwell who really stood out to me. His character is the rebel type and he has some of the funniest jokes of the movie. He really is a joy to watch. Steve Carrell has a very serious role here and manages to shake any comedic preconceptions you have about him. In his role as stepfather he comes across as a guy who is hard to like. The Way Way Back is a great “slice of life” type of movie, with the right mix between drama and fun. It ends up being a feel good movie that is worth a watch.
Lovely review. I see that this is film has been rather enjoyed overall by people, need to find it and watch it so I, too, can understand!
Thanks Zoë! Yeah it really is a nice movie, hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.
Glad you saw this and liked it. I imagine it’s a film that will appear in my top ten of the year.
I don’t know yet if this will appear in my top 10, but it is one of the better movies of the year.
I liked this as well. My main negative is that it developed too many characters: the neighbor, neighbor’s daughter, the other water park employees. There was a lot going on.
I didn’t feel that issue. It made all the characters a little more real. I never thought that it meant that the story suffered from it.
Cast and screenplay go together so well, that you almost don’t care about how safe and conventional the material actually is. Good review Nostra.
Well, from the start you will have a very good idea how this movie will turn out, but the journey there is just so much fun even if big parts are predictable and can be seen coming from a mile away.
Glad to see you liked this one my friend. This film was a genuine pleasure.
It truly was!
I’m right with you on this one, Nostra. The Way Way Back is one of my favorites of the year so far, despite the fact that it’s pretty conventional. It just had a lot of heart, and Sam Rockwell and everyone at the water park made it so much fun. It was a refreshing movie in a summer filled with bleakness and destruction. I can’t wait to watch it again.
Nice to hear that Dan. I am looking forward to watching this again as well!
Nice review. I just watched this movie a few days ago and pretty much agree with everything you said here. Definitely found the right mix of drama and fun.
Thanks Alex, planning to rewatch again soon as it is so enjoyable.
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