Review of The Way Way Back (2013) by Blake P — 18 Jan 2014

The second I hear the phrase "coming-of-age", I want to run off. It's a cute genre for a while, but at some point you notice the icky similarities. The main character, usually in his early-teens, is normally awkward, and not loaded with much personality. Then, during some sort of holiday (summer, spring break, Christmas vacation), he finds himself, either through a group of people that are much better than his actual family, or he goes through an experience that makes him wiser than before. And, by the end, he gets whatever girl he's been pining for.

My description may sound a bit hissy hissy towards the genre, so you might think automatically to come in with low-expectations. Surprise! As it turns out, "The Way Way Back" is so refreshingly witty and honest, that it throws away any eye-rolls. And that's quite a compliment.

The film revolves around Duncan (Liam Duncan, who plays low-confidence with expertise), a mopey 14-year old who can't seem to catch a break. He mopes around for a good cause - his clueless mother Pam (Toni Collette) has recently shacked up with scum baggy boyfriend Trent (Steve Carrell) and his shallow daughter (Zoe Levin). To make matters worse, Duncan has to spend the summer with them at a beach home, rather than be with his dad (which he would much prefer).

Duncan finds it hard to fit in, instantly disliking his mother's friends (Amanda Peet, Rob Corddy, and Alison Janney, who all steal scenes like it's their one duty in life), and soon stumbles upon Water Wizz water park, where he befriends the extraverted manager Owen (Sam Rockwell). He gets a job, and day by day, he begins to gain perspective that life isn't as terrible as he thinks it is - and summer turns out to not be so bad after all.

"The Way Way Back" is smart because it primarily focuses on Duncan, and immediately we are drawn to him because our sympathy cannot be held - he interacts awkwardly, walks with his head down, and doesn't know how to laugh. When we witness Trent's many attempts to be a "father-figure" (which give the film its most heart-breaking moments), we know that Duncan is so depressed because his mother, most likely, has picked the wrong guy time and time again. To see him learn that life can actually be good, it automatically brings a smile to our face.

Nat Faxon and Jim Rash are quite a delightful writer/director pairing - there hasn't been this good of a coming-of-age film in years. They not only manage to bringing the best out of their star-studded cast, but they are able to combine humor and realism in a way that makes us wonder how many Duncans are in the world.

The plot easily could turn mushy on us, but instead laughs are delivered consistently, and when s$#t happens, it doesn't feel like a ploy to show us what these actors can do. Faxon and Rash won an Oscar for writing the acclaimed "The Descendants" - here they prove that they are a force to be reckoned with.

"The Way Way Back" may have been a minor hit, but it's the kind of movie you tell everyone about. You want people to laugh just as hard, and feel just as touched.