Review of The Way Way Back (2013) by Andy B — 31 Dec 2013

(***1/2) A coming of age story which is more concerned with arrested development than it is with childhood, The Way Way Back is one of the better films in this vein in recent memory. While many similar films overly concern themselves with the angst and awkwardness of teenagers, this one focuses on the issues of parents, and confronts divorce head-on. The beauty of this type of film is being able to see complicated issues through the simplified view of youth. Honestly, being able to do so would probably improve the lives of many adults. There is a skill in perceiving complexity for what it really is: clouds of bullshit hiding the simple truth.

In The Way Way Back, Duncan's parents have recently split, he lives with his mother, and he is taking a summer trip with her new boyfriend and his daughter to their beach house. There he finds a strange group of adults (mostly single or divorced) who still approach life like it's sophomore year of college. Being quickly disgusted by this display, he starts wandering town aimlessly and finds himself at a local run-down water park. Here he meets Owen, who offers him a job at the park. Owen is the stereotypical cool guy who serves as a father figure but....not really. He's more of an older brother; someone to show you the ropes but still make you do things for yourself.

Owen doesn't show us enough responsibility to be believable as a good father, but he's just the prescription Duncan needs right now. Some good therapy from the insanity of his mother's struggle to find "happiness." Owen may not be a happy man, but he knows how to play it off like he is. Most importantly, his problems are his own and he never tries to project them on anyone else. Other people (most importantly children) should never be the target of his anger. I can't say enough about Sam Rockwell in this performance. I'm starting to wish I could see him in every film. He brings such sincerity and charisma to his roles that I think I would root for him as the villain if he were to play one.

The brilliance of The Way Way Back is its analysis of a certain part of American society. I'm speaking of the upper middle-class forty-somethings who still try to maintain the party of their youth through alcohol and drugs. They never wanted their early twenties to end, and for them children are an annoyance which only succeeded in taking their youth and reflecting their flaws. In this daze of false happiness, it takes a young person's insight to come out and say what everyone knows to be true, which Duncan does in one of the film's more powerful scenes.

If there is a slight flaw to this film, I would say it is Duncan himself. He's almost too awkward for belief. Most of the time he fits a particular role pretty well, but when he's at his quirkiest I found myself sighing and wishing he could have been even a tiny bit smoother. However, this was crucial to the point of the film, and I understand the director's choice.

As the credits rolled on this movie, I found myself thinking constantly of comparisons to The Graduate, especially the final shot of the movie. In retrospect I feel that this movie was an homage to that classic coming of age tale. Only this one is lighter, easier to digest, and in my opinion superior. The Way Way Back will not find itself dated by being pinned as part of the counterculture. It expresses the same emotions in a more timeless and enjoyable manner, without latent fears of consequences and future pain. Indeed, it is a bittersweet movie. But sweet is the primary flavor left on your palate at the end.