Last night, I convinced my dad to come see a movie that he had never heard of before I showed him the trailer. He seemed convinced it would be a good movie. For me, it was one I had been waiting to see for quite a few months now. The Way, Way Back premiered at Sundance Film Festival this January and came out as one of the biggest success stories, and between the early buzz and the tagline for the film, I could see the potential: "14-year old Duncan spends a summer at his mom's boyfriend's beach house, and while finding new adventures and new friends, he also finds himself." The icing on the cake, and the deciding factor that this movie was "must-see" was the cast. Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb (Bridge to Terabithia, anyone?), Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash? Sounded like a great time to me. Additionally, Faxon and Rash, who won Oscars for the screenplay of the George Clooney film The Descendants (a great watch), wrote this film as well, and were making their directorial debut. I knew I had to see this movie.
My expectations were met, and then some. This movie mixes two of my favorite characteristics of a great film: "indie dramedy with great actors" and "coming of age tale". While the movie doesn't necessarily redefine the genre, it is an instant necessity if you are a fan of these kinds of movies. Faxon and Rash do a great job in their directorial debut and really capture the summer atmosphere, the highs and lows, exquisitely. The screenplay is strong, and while there is a lack of some of the emotional depth of their last screenplay for the aforementioned Descendants, that is to be expected in this much-lighter and younger-based film. Mostly every character is well developed, and by the end of the movie, you are seriously cheering on Duncan and his ragtag team of new friends.
The performances in this movie are just phenomenal. The one actor I had not known before this film was its lead, Liam James, making the most of his first big screen starring role. Watching his performance morph from an insecure, awkward loner to a confident, strong young adult was thrilling, and James is to thank. This kind of movie would've failed without a strong actor like him to carry an important role with truthfulness and integrity. Steve Carell was very good here, and it was interesting to see him play the antagonist. Carell, often playing very likable (even when he's playing a villain in the Despicable Me movies), actually came off very rude, and while it was impossible to cheer for him, I thought that was a testament to the actor, who has made a career off of playing lovable characters, so kudos to him. Toni Collette, who I have admittedly not seen in too many projects, gave a great performance, and seeing her character's growth match that of her son's explored another unexpected relationship that made your soul cry like you'd just watched your hometown team win the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, or what have you. AnnaSophia Robb, who kinda disappeared for a while there, comes back with a supporting role that doesn't have as much emotional range as James, Carell, or Collette, but is still done with respect and honesty. Playing the teenage love interest who can't quite identify herself and wishes to break out of the "spring break for adults" landscape that shuts her in, Robb is great, and reminds the audience why they loved her when she first broke out as a child actor, and at least has this reviewer pining to see her explore a new stage of her career. As the couple that shares dinner, wine, and a few secrets with Carell and Collette, Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet do a good job with the small roles they have. And who could forget Maya Rudolph, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash as the Water Wizz employees that befriend the lonely Duncan? Rudolph shines a little brighter than the other two, only because her screentime outweighs theirs.
For me, there were two standout performances in this film. Allison Janney, who I had categorized as a dramatic actress during her time on The West Wing (a mainstay on our television when I was a child), has continued to surprise me with her comedic turns ever since her phenomenal turn as Brenda in one of my all-time favorite movies, Juno. Since then, I've adored seeing her play slightly neurotic and totally hilarious, and this might be her best showcase since playing Juno's stepmother. From the second she appears on screen, she is an absolute hoot and her over-the-top character is immediately a crowd favorite. I imagine alot of her lines, particularly when screaming at her children, were ad libbed, and it's a testament to how great an actress Janney is. If her character on the new CBS sitcom Mom is exactly like her character in this film, I'll become a loyal fan. The other standout performance comes from Sam Rockwell, whose work I've never really seen before. As a mentor to Duncan, Rockwell just hit it out of the park, the parking lot, the town, the state, the universe, and beyond. It helped that the character was a sarcastic and lovable man-child who learned to grow up as he became a replacement stepfather of sorts to the film's protagonist. It was such a poignant performance, and if the film holds up over the rest of the year, I wouldn't be remiss in saying that Rockwell should seriously be considered for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination.
Overall, I loved this movie. Upon repeat viewings, I imagine it will make it's way onto constant loop on my DVD player. If you haven't heard of this movie, I'd advise you to check out the trailer (attached below) and just give it a try. In a summer filled with explosions and fast cars, this comedy warms your heart faster than the record-high temperatures outside.
Evan
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