There have been moments of “trying to find happiness in little things” in our childhood and teenage which might have been insignificant to the elders but those small achievements after a rough patch are always treasured by us and they hold a really special place in our heart. We prefer to keep those memories within ourselves and we cherish that phase of our life and revisit those fond memories in our adulthood again and again whenever we are low and lonely. The Way Way Back is one such emotional journey about a lonely teenager who has sort of distanced himself from the rest of the family and finds pleasure in an unexpected elderly company during his summer vacation. The film is light hearted, poignant, full of innocence and made from the heart.
The Way Way Back is the debut film of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (who wrote Payne’s The Descandants). The best thing about this film is, it’s not manipulative or melodramatic and the director duo never sets out to prove a point or tries anything different. After The Kings of Summer, this is another charming coming of age indie summer movie of 2013. Although, the film is predictable at parts but it’s the innocence and freshness in performances that makes the film engaging.
The film is about 14 year old Duncan and everything that happens around him during his summer vacation with his mother, her new boyfriend and his daughter. Duncan thinks himself to be a loser and good–at-nothing after being abandoned by his separated parents and repetitively discouraged and abused by his mother’s annoying boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell). He seeks attention which he never gets from anyone and hence he retreats himself inside a shell and never really opens up to anyone.
After being bored and disgusted in the company of adults in the beach house, Duncan sets off in a pink girly bike and starts exploring the town when he discovers a local water park and meets Owen there. What Duncan didn’t have was the confidence that he could be good at something and prove that he is not worthless; he craved for someone who would listen to him, inspire him and applaud him. Then slowly he starts managing things at the park with Owen and things slowly start to get better in his life. He has his moments of fun in the park everyday which infuse confidence in him and the same reflects in his interaction with his parents as well.
But, in the meantime, his mom Pam suspects that Trent is having an affair with an acquaintance named Joan and things turn ugly when Duncan confronts Trent. What follows is a heart break for Duncan and some tear jerking moments of joy and happiness in little things in life before he finally reunites with his mother.
The performances are brilliant in this film. Sam Rockwell as Duncan is adorable, funny and plays his part quite convincingly. You can easily
identify with his character and sympathize with him. I had last seen him in the television series “The Killing” and I must say he has grown a lot as an actor here. Steve Carell as a flawed father is very annoying and delivers a nice act. All the supporting casts which feature the director duo (as assistants in the water park) are wonderful as well.
I found the film much enjoyable specially the moments in the park, the interaction between Duncan and Owen, the humor in their conversations. The film has all the right ingredients in right proportions to be a perfect summer crowd pleaser and the audience never feels overdosed. The entire story is narrated from Duncan’s point of view who is on the verge of his adulthood and instead of judging the rightness of his action, the film narrates his journey of adolescence: from an introvert and shy to the most popular member in the waterpark and who is finally able to stand up on his feet and raise questions on the wrongful actions of his stepfather. If you really want to have a nice time for two hours, then this is the one for you because it’s charming, sweet and heartfelt and doesn’t make you think too much.
And I am pretty hopeful that if Duncan ever comes back to the water park twenty years later with his wife and kids, he would certainly relive the warm nostalgia and will preserve those moments with extreme care and love all his life.
Cinema Paradiso 