Film: The Way, Way Back

Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Genre: Comedy
Source: USA (2013)
Rating: PG-13
Location/Format: Island Cinema
Grade: A-

The tag line of The Way, Way Back is "We've all been there," and though it speaks to the "average guy" sensibilities of the film's protagonist, it also could serve as a warning that Faxon and Rash (cowriters, codirectors, and costars of the film) are not really breaking any new ground here. Fortunately, with a great cast and some clever writing, they don't really need to. Instead, they serve up an audience-pleasing coming-of-age tale that, if not innovative, is still deeply satisfying and honest.

Allison Janney and Sam Rockwell stand out among a really solid cast (I mean, Toni Collette, Faxon and Rash, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, and Steve Carrell playing against type), but they do have the "larger-than-life" personalities, so maybe it's not a fair comparison. Carrell and Collette are solid in flashing us pieces of adulthood's messiness. Perhaps it's living in an island community, but Janney's obnoxious, self-centered, mile-a-minute personality reminded me of so many people I have come in contact with here--people who are still living like they're 20 even at 50--that I couldn't help but laugh every time she was on screen. Sam Rockwell gets the flashy part, and he works it. He just seems so comfortable in his own skin that it's easy to see both why Duncan is drawn to him and why others at time get exacerbated with him.

And Duncan is a pretty good character, which fairly-new newcomer Liam James does well with. He reminds me more of teenagers I actually know than most film kids, what with his inability to express himself, awkwardness around girls (and people in general), and trouble smiling. He reminds us that teenagers see more than we give them credit for, but they don't always know how to process it. His gawkiness feels natural, and I like that his big moments don't fully take that away. But Rockwell's relationship with him reminds us that even the most self-conscious teenagers just want to be valued. As a teacher, that resonated.

The film isn't perfect. The big climactic moment--where, as the formula requires, our young protagonist has to prove himself once and for all--is particularly ridiculous as far as this kind of things go, but the film's final few minutes do a nice job making up for it.

Alternate Film Title: "Summer Job Nostalgia"