There’s not much to be said about creativity when it comes to coming-of-age stories.
Generally speaking, they don’t stray too far from the routine events that inevitably lead to teens coming into their own. Such predictability is often their undoing; it’s hard for a film to ring true when it rings every cliche in the book.
But every once and a while, an honest movie like “The Way, Way Back” comes along and makes it all worthwhile.
Predictably, 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James, from TV’s Psych, and The Killing) is having a lot of trouble fitting in. He’s socially awkward, disengaged, and unsure of what he’s going to get out of a summer at a beach house belonging to his mom’s (Toni Collette, About a Boy, Hitchcock) obnoxious boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell, Little Miss Sunshine, Despicable Me).
But once Duncan arrives, he’s greeted by an eclectic bunch of small-town beach dwellers. He finds solace in his neighbor Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb, Bridge to Terabithia, Race to Witch Mountain) and a clandestine friendship with Owen (Sam Rockwell, Seven Psychopaths, Moon), the manager of the local water park.
Not much plot ingenuity here, sure, and the movie certainly has missteps. Between all of Duncan’s evolving relationships, it’s unclear what the central arc of the film is intended to be, and his bloom into adulthood seems to come with relative ease. The film wobbles a bit when the audience is left to infer his growth on its own during happy montages set to quiet indie rock.
But co-writers and co-directors Jim Rash and Nat Faxon don’t let that drag down the heart of the movie. Similar to their work in “The Descendants,” Rash and Faxon have a way of grounding the characters in “The Way, Way Back” with earnestness that makes them so much more than hackneyed personas, which is infinitely more fun to watch.
The story’s compassion and authenticity are aided by its all-star comedic cast; there’s not a weak link in the bunch, as all the actors bring a sincere depth to roles that could have easily been played as caricatures.
Rockwell’s Owen brings charm and genuineness to his role as the aloof mentor. Carell’s Trent could easily have simply been unlikeable (and he is, at times), but Carell grounds him so realistically it’s hard to look away. The only exception might be Allison Janney, who plays Susanna’s boozy and wacky mother as comic relief. But there’s pure gold in her zany antics. The cast is even well rounded out by the talents of consistently underutilized players Maya Rudolph (Bridesmaids, Away We Go) and Rob Corddry (Pain and Gain, Warm Bodies).
“The Way, Way Back” doesn’t break many barriers when it comes to rehashing the themes of maturation and adulthood. But between the talented cast and the blend of comedy with not-too-sappy heart, the film is a cool break from the summer blockbuster season.
The Verdict: Like any coming-of-age story, it takes some liberties, but altogether it’s an earnest and funny summer flick.
Pulp Diction 