The Way Way Back

Rating: 4.5/5

The Way Way Back is a surprisingly morose film with a lot of heart and uplifting humor scattered throughout.

14 year old Duncan (Liam James) is being forced to spend the summer at a beach house with his mom Pam (Toni Collette) and her boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrel). Once they arrive at Trent's summer home, it is clear to Duncan that he is not wanted on this vacation, and is generally cast aside by his mom and Trent as they try to relive their youth.

To escape his unhappiness, Duncan finds his way to a local amusement park called Water Wizz. Running the park is Owen (Sam Rockwell), who at first, may appear to be resisting adulthood, but immediately takes a liking to Duncan and sees that he needs a friend and someone to talk to. Owen offers Duncan a job, and he very quickly accepts. Not telling his mom about his new employment, Duncan attempts to survive the summer by spending as much time at Water Wizz as possible.

The very first time that I watched The Way Way Back, I was expecting it to be more of a comedy than it was, and that kind of threw my judgment a bit. Since first seeing it, I have watched this movie several times, and have loved it more and more with every viewing. Once I watched it with the correct perception, I was able to see the heartwarming aspects of the film, and the subtle humor that I had missed before.

Sam Rockwell is an actor that I have loved ever since my first viewing of Galaxy Quest, and for the longest time, that I was all I had known him for. Thankfully, that has changed within the past few years. Sam Rockwell is a phenomenal actor, and he plays the role of Owen in an incredibly realistic manner. He adds comedic timing where it is needed to uplift a scene, but also brings a protective nature to his character that makes him the unexpected hero of the film. The Way Way Back also proves that Steve Carrell is more than a comedian. This is a fact that has been known before, but I feel this particular movie really portrays his incredible acting ability. At this time in his career, we had mainly been used to seeing Carrell in very likable roles, so his character in The Way Way Back appeared to be somewhat new territory for him, but it worked incredibly well.

The Way Way Back is akin in tone and style to Little Miss Sunshine, but it doesn't feel like a replication or copy of it. It does have a similar style of music to it, but most indie drama-comedy soundtracks tend to share a resemblance. To me, what makes The Way Way Back be unique in comparison to other like-minded indies, is the location of the filming and the movie's daring choice of having many of the main characters be quite unlikable. The Way Way Back was shot on location at Water Wizz park in Massachusetts, adding an unusually genuine atmosphere to the film. Other than Duncan and the other employees at Water Wizz, the rest of the adults in the movie are pretty appalling human beings. Some have a few redeemable qualities, but by making the people who surround Duncan's life at the beach so awful, it makes his scenes at the water park all the more important and sweet.

The Way Way Back is a movie that I have personally recommended to many people, and they have yet to be disappointed by it. It contains all the expected charm of an indie film, but brings out more feeling than you would think it could. If you have not had a chance to see this movie and are a fan of films like Little Miss Sunshine or Away We Go, than this should be the next movie you watch; you won't be disappointed.