4.5 stars... "Let's try and get that score up!"
I had seen the trailer for this movie a number of times in recent weeks at my local art-house theatre here in Cincinnati and couldn't wait to see this movie. The movie finally opened today, and I went to see it right away.
"The Way, Way Back" (2013 release; 103 min.) tells the story of 14 yr. old Duncan (played by newcomer Liam James) who, along with his mom Pam (played by Toni Collette), her boyfriend Trent (played by Steve Carell) and his 16 or 17 yr. old daughter Stephanie, are going to spend the summer at Trent's summer house on a beach somewhere in Massachusetts. Right as the movie opens, Trent and Duncan get into an already destined-to-be-a-classic exchange: Trent: "On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you see yourself?"; Duncan: "a 6"; Trent: "a 6? more like a 3... Let's try and get that score up this summer!". Duncan has a hard time fitting in with anyone but he does seem to be able to talk to Suzanna, the neighbor's daughter who's just a bit older than him. Duncan then...
Absolutely one of the best films of 2013
Written and directed by the team of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (winners of the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Descendants), The Way, Way Back is absolutely one of the best films of 2013 so far. And even saying that feels inadequate because it's such a fine film, a coming-of-age comedy/drama with a great script, fine performances by a superb cast, and directed with a flawless natural touch so that there's never a moment where things feel false or forced.
The Way, Way Back is seen from the point of view of Duncan (Liam James), the shy and awkward fourteen-year-old son of recently divorced Pam (Toni Collette), as they head out on a summer vacation with Pam's also-divorced boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and Trent's teenaged daughter Steph (Zoe Levin). Riding in the back of Trent's station wagon, Duncan is visibly less than thrilled at the prospect. It's quickly apparent why in the opening scene when Trent engages Duncan in conversation while Pam and Steph are...
'The Way Way Back' one of the year's best.
The Academy Award winning writing team (The Descendants) of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash are back at it with the coming-of-age drama, The Way Way Back. Both Faxon and Rash write, direct, and act in the film, which stars Liam James as Duncan - a shy, uncertain 14-year-old that travels to an East Coast vacation house for the summer with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), his mother's boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and Trent's daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Trent and Duncan have a rocky relationship due to Trent seemingly always picking on Duncan or isolating him in some way - forcing Duncan into a world of seclusion. After arriving at the coast, Duncan feels out of place and miserable until one afternoon when he encounters Owen (Sam Rockwell), the manager of a local waterpark. Owen befriends Duncan, gives him a job, and encourages him to have fun while being his own person and creating his own path in life. The dramatic-comedy's supporting cast also includes Allison Janney, Rob Corddry,...
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