★★★½
There’s a comedian I like who tells a joke about sitting in
the back seat of a station wagon on a family vacation. Not the back seat but
the way, way back seat; the one that faces in reverse. He says that the kids
sitting in the back seat of the car tend to have a completely different
vacation than everyone else in the car. The comedian wonders, “I wonder what
all these signs say?” I think that this particular seat in the old station
wagons is what writers/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash had in mind when they
wrote their brilliant new film “The Way Way Back”. Their main character starts
the film sitting in this seat and throughout the rest of the film has
completely different vacation than anyone else. This one shot should be enough
foreshadowing of the continued brilliance that will follow.
“The Way Way Back” follows 14 year old Duncan (Liam James)
during his summer vacation with his mom Pam (Toni Collette), her boyfriend
Trent (Steve Carell) and his daughter Stephanie (Zoe Levin). They’re spending a
couple of months at Trent’s beach house. Next door lives the persistently
intoxicated Betty (Allison Janney), who has no social filter, and her kids
Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and Peter (River Alexander). We also meet Trent’s
friends Kip (Rob Corddry) and Joan (Amanda Peet).
Duncan can’t stand Trent or any of his friends. He doesn’t
understand what his mom sees in him. He begins to stay as far away from these
people as possible, and begins taking long bike rides around the area. He
discovers a nearby water park called Water Wizz and meets the park’s eccentric
manager Owen (Sam Rockwell). Owen likes Duncan and all his awkward quirks so he
hires him to be a part time help around the park. At Water Wizz, he becomes
well liked by the parks frequent visitors and the park’s employees including
Caitlin (Maya Rudolph) along with Roddy and Lewis (film’s directors Nat Faxon
and Jim Rash).
Duncan’s attitude toward life in general begins to change as
a result of his time with Owen working at Water Wizz. He even begins to attract
the attention of the pretty girl living next door, Susanna. The two begin to
form a friendship, something that might not have otherwise happened without his
new life at the waterpark. He’s not even really afraid to share what’s on his
mind with his mom and with Trent.
“The Way Way Back” is a brilliant display of what a
coming-of-age movie should look like. The dynamic of every character in this
film is written with such depth that you quickly lose yourself in the story.
There are many moments where you could easily see yourself in Duncan’s shoes,
even without the dysfunctional broken home element.
Oscar winning writers Nat Faxon and Jim Rash make their
directorial debut with this film, and they’ve hit a home run. They’ve proven
their screenwriting expertise on Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants” (which won
them their Oscar) was no fluke. The amount of character development in their
script vastly exceeds anything else we’ve seen this year. If this much
characterization can be packed into such a short script, why can’t we get even
a small portion of that in other films?
While the writing of “The Way Way Back” is fantastic, what
really drives this film are the various performances from the whole cast. Liam
James is on camera for the entire film, so its up to him to carry it. That’s no
easy task for anyone, especially for someone his age. But James really takes
command of his role. He should remind you of someone you knew when you were
that age; if not a friend of yours, than maybe that quiet kid in the back of
the class, or maybe even yourself.
The supporting roles, especially those of Toni Collette and
Steve Carell, help to bring James’ character up to very a empathetic level. Collette
is excellent as always. While she wants to look out for the best interests of
her son, she’s also trying to find her happiness in this new life of hers.
She’s torn and Collette really showcases it well. On the other hand, we’re used
to seeing Carell in goofy and lightheaded rolls, but here he is downright mean.
Every line and every glance toward James is that of sarcasm and disgust. He’s
lovable in many films, but not here. Here, you have to hate him.
Sam Rockwell once again proves that he’s one of the most
underrated and underappreciated actors working today. He turns in yet another
unforgettable performance as Duncan’s best friend. He plays the role much like
he’s done in the past; its a classic Rockwell performance. But he also brings
out a little more depth that he hasn’t show in too many of his films (if you
haven’t seen him in “Moon”, that’s one to find). In a film full of many bright
spots, he shines the brightest.
“The Way Way Back” is a truly great film. Its a film with
so much heart that’s delicately balanced between its scenes of emotion and its
scenes of humor. There are so many memorable parts from the time it begins
until the time it ends. The ending of the film may feel a little abrupt, but
that’s the only thing I can find to complain about. In a summer full of movies
that have underperformed expectations, “The Way Way Back” comes out of nowhere
and surprises.
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