Aylmer to Zazzoo and Beyond: The Way, Way Back

Saturday, July 20, 2013

The Way, Way Back - Review

The Way, Way Back
(2013 - July 26 / July 5 Limited release)
Comedy | Drama
1 hr 43 min

Rated: PG-13 Some Sexual Content, Language, Brief Drug Material and Thematic Elements. Common Sense Media says OK for kids 13+. Read more
Grade: B+

Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Writers: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Stars: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney | See full cast and crew

THE WAY, WAY BACK is the funny and poignant coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan's (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finally find his place in the world - all during a summer he will never forget. (c) Fox Searchlight

The Way Way Back is funny, delightful, nostalgic, touching, and at times uncomfortable. Maybe more so for boys than for girls but then this is the coming of age movie about an awkward 14 year old boy, and weren't we all a bit awkward at that age, to a lesser of greater degree I think we can all relate...even you girls.

The biggest problem in this story are the titular adults, 90% of whom are self indulgent fools with a Peter Pan complex. The writers would have you believe that this is your typical, normal, average life, but it isn't. It seems everyone is divorced and unhappy with life. There are millions out there that live in intact never divorced families. I thank God that I grew up in a home where my parents loved each other all their lives and loved their children and we as children (there were 8 of us) got along well with each other, we of course had our squabbles and differences but even as adults we still all get along with each other. We weren't well-to-do financially, we had to work for whatever we got. We had no beach house in which to spend the 'lazy days of summer', or friends with boats, we worked the summers.

Coming from such very different backgrounds, however, doesn't mean you can't relate to Duncan (Liam James) and enjoy his story and plight. I remember as a kid being in the company of people like the adults, and rude teenagers portrayed in The Way Way Back. They always made me feel uncomfortable.

This film is very well done and I was almost immediately queasy by the environment that the film set. I could feel the tension in the car as they drove and the humiliation as Trent (Steve Carell) asks Duncan to rate himself between a 1 and a 10. Prodded on by Trent he reluctantly rates himself a 6 to which Trent disagrees and says he is a 3. Nothing like having an inspiring and supportive adult mentor.

When they got into the beach house I could smell the musky, mildewy aroma of an old stagnant beach house. A beach house always sounds more romantic than it almost always turns out to be, and I won't even get into the beach parties.

The characters have depth and are believably acted. Steve Carell is terrific as a demeaning douche. Liam James is superbly awkward yet likeable, Owen (Sam Rockwell) has one of the hardest acting jobs as the manager of Water Wizz water park. He could have easily fallen into a caricature, he walks the line but doesn't really cross it.

The writer/director team of Jim Rash and Nat Faxon have done a great job here. I very much recommend this one, with the caveat of the language (which really isn't too bad, especially considering what is the norm in entertainment these days) and the lack of a moral compass for most of the characters.

The costumes caught my eye as so typical and natural, not at all intrusive and not until the credits did I realize that they were the work of an old colleague of mine from New York, Ann Roth. I worked with her on perhaps dozens of films during my life in the industry both in front of and behind the camera. Ann Roth is a great lady and an incredible costume designer. She is especially noted for the innovative ways she costumes hookers and conartist characters.

She has four times been nominated for Broadway's Tony Award as Best Costume Designer: in 1976 for "The Royal Family;" in 1979 for "The Crucifer of Blood;" in 1986 for "The House of Blue Leaves" and in 2011 for "The Book of Mormon". She is designing the remake of Mildred Pierce. See more

At work behind the scenes with directors Nat and Jim