The Way, Way Back was written and directed by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon, who are best known as the co-writers for the Alexander Payne helmed The Descendants, as well as playing the Dean in Community and Ben in the TV series Ben & Kate, respectively. The Way, Way Back, which premiered last Thursday night at the Sydney Film Festival, marks the duo’s directoral debut, and true to their multi-tasking qualities, also features the two in small roles within the film.
The film stars Steve Carell as a divorced father, who is now dating the divorced Toni Collette, both with one kid and all trying to start a new family. The only problem is that Carell is a massive twat, which he plays out incredibly well. The film centres around Collette’s son Duncan, played by Liam James, who is your typical broody fourteen year old, trying to come to terms with the changes around him (and, indeed, inside him) over a Summer where the new foursome are trying to connect at Carell’s beach house.
In terms of coming-of-age tales, The Way, Way Back offers all the same liner notes you would expect: boy is enamoured by girl, goes on a journey to mature to a less brooding, happier teenager, and tries to repair his family in the process. The journey Duncan goes though, which centres around a job he receives at a water park, sees the film move into Adventureland territory, and even proves reminiscent of the underrated Role Models, allowing the film to take a few unexpected turns along the way.
The motivator for Duncan’s change isn’t a member of his family, nor his neighbours for the Summer, featuring a mother played by the brilliant Alison Janney and her daughter Susanna – the “love interest” of the film, perhaps – played by Bridge to Terabithia ‘s AnnaSophia Robb, but rather the character of Owen, played by Sam Rockwell, who runs the water park and sees Duncan as more than just a “three” (I’ll let the film explain that…).
Along with Janney, Rockwell provides both the film’s humour and its standout performance. That’s not to say that Carell and Collette aren’t great in this film – all the performances deserve a mention – Carell perfectly plays the douche boyfriend, and Collette the struggling mother. Liam James holds the film together well, though the brooding is perhaps a bit over the top at times; a nature of the character of course, rather than James as an actor. But this is definitely a film that belongs to Rockwell – the unexpected role model for Duncan – and the party-hungry, constantly drunk Janney.
The relationship between Owen and Duncan is a fantastic one, and if you see this film for no other reason, it should be to see Rockwell getting to play one of his most engaging characters yet, brilliantly executed by one of the industry’s most consistent actors. There is a lot of predictability along the way, and one could argue at it could have had 10 minutes trimmed from the first act, but with these minor grievances aside, The Way, Way Back will easily become a favourite amongst those partial to the coming-of-age story. Sometimes there is just nothing wrong with a nice film, as I’m sure we all agree. The key to these sorts of films is that you have to be able to root for the main character, and as you see Duncan come out of his shell, you can’t help but feel proud of his development. And when this sort of film achieves that, you know it’s ticked all the right boxes, even if they have been ticked many times before.
Review Score: THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE.
Remaining Sydney Film Festival Screening Times
Mon 10 Jun 4:15PM – Event Cinemas George Street 4 (SOLD OUT)
Runtime: 113 minutes
