Review of The Way Way Back (2013) by Richard L — 20 Jan 2014

Here we go, another coming of age comedy. You might see it and go right by thinking it's just another generic one of those movies. It's actually quite far from that. The Way, Way Back is a coming of age movie that does a whole lot right.

Duncan is a young teen that's awkward as shit. If you go into the dictionary and look up the word awkward, bam, his name'll probably be there. The kid lives day to day in his own personal shell. Everyone kind of does, but not like Duncan. He has trouble communicating and connecting with people, even his family. He lives with his mom, who has a jerk of a boyfriend named Trent (Steve Carrell). Duncan wishes he lived with his dad, but instead is dragged to Trent's beach house for a whole summer vacation. Soon after meeting the neighbour girl whom he shares some things in common with, he learns that the town is like spring break for adults. It's like everyone except him is having the time of their lives. Days go by, and Duncan is met with nothing but sheer, utter boredom. On a bike ride one morning he stumbles upon the local water park, where he meets a cool fella' without a care by the name of Owen (Sam Rockwell). From here, Duncan lands a small gig at the park, learns what it means to have a good time, and ultimately figure out what it means to not let life phase you and make your own path.

The Way Way Back is such a pleasant surprise, I really love when I stumble upon movies like this. The movie visits a 'been there' topic, but it's all about how the whole thing is executed. This movie proved me that when it comes to cinema, you can teach an old dog new tricks. The casting is interesting, taking Carrell and making him the bad guy. It's an experimental kind of role reversal that works pretty well I'd say. The kid that plays Duncan, Liam James, has this awkward shtick down to a fuckin' tee. Just watching the kid is uncomfortable at times, and that makes it feel that much more real. He barely ever breaks out of that shell, making the character much more consistent than if he broke out to be a more uppity dude by the end of the movie. Sam Rockwell just owns that supporting role, which is a pillar this movie likes to rest on big time. Just Rockwell on his own makes for reason to watch this, and creates a very likeable character. The man really needs more leading man roles. The movie also benefits from some pretty good writing from Nat Faxon and Jim Rash. It's these components that make the movie different from other coming of age stories. It's pretty easy to relate to, whether or not you were ever like Duncan. Faxon and Rash create a simple yet tragic kid that is easy to root for. The pathos is a big key to any great coming of age flick, and The Way, Way Back flourishes when it comes to this. It's also pretty damn funny, which never hurts.

The only negatives that come with the movie is that it doesn't go anywhere that original. I am in fact biting my tongue on this one, since I've praised it for doing so well working in a field that's been used up so many times. There are just some instances throughout that kind of feel a bit too cliche. With the cliche feeling in some bits, comes the predictability. That can kind of muddle this movie, which is others really good. Other than that, it makes for a great comedy that does a good job revisiting the awful side of being a kid.

The Way, Way, Back may tread into pretty familiar waters, but it's the great performances and the way the story is executed that elevates it beyond the standard coming of age film.