MOVIE REVIEW: "The Way, Way Back" -- Released: July 5, 2013

The Perks of Being a Wallflower was one of my favorite films – if not my favorite – of 2012. A lot of people would be shocked to hear that and I think a good few would agree with me. I was in awe of the film's sense of time and place, its raw performances, and completely honest story of a young kid who wasn't sure who he ought to be in the world, until he found a group of friends who accepted him for what he was, a "wallflower," with a lot to offer. I found The Way, Way Back to be similar in a lot of ways to Perks, but for me, its story and characters weren't executed as gracefully or as honestly as the former. Still, it's an extremely refreshing summer film in a time where one is hard-pressed to find a movie playing sans a superhero or robot.

The film begins with Duncan (Liam James) sitting in "the way way back" of one of those old-school station wagons where you face backwards at the cars behind you. His mom (Toni Collette) is passed out in the front seat and her new boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), is passing the time by making uncomfortable small talk with a visibly annoyed Duncan. Trent asks Duncan to rank himself on a scale of one-to-10 in regards to his looks, personality, basically his whole "package." Duncan responds, after some annoyed hesitation,  with "a six," Trent scoffs and labels him "a three." It's brutal, uncomfortable, and kind of hilarious. This short scene encapsulates who Duncan is and who he's surrounded by – an awkward kid in his awkward stage with not a friend in site. Sadly, this scene is probably the most surprising of the entire film. 

The car ride ends at Trent's beach house where the new "family" plans to spend the summer. Pam (Collette) is visibly a little nervous over her leap of faith in spending the summer with her boyfriend and Duncan is practically miserable over the whole situation. As they settle in, Nat Faxon and Jim Rashs' screenplay settles into checking things off its pre-determined list of clichéd story elements.

Duncan mopes about the first few days, has a few embarrassing moments, gets kind-of upset at some things and when it all becomes too much to take, he escapes Trent's beach house and happens upon the local town's water park, Water Wizz. The water park is run by Owen (Sam Rockwell), a screwball general manager who cares more about retelling the "grand" history behind the park – it was built in 1983 and not a single thing has changed since – then actually carrying out manager-like duties. Owen takes a liking to young Duncan and it's rather easy to tell where it all goes from here – Duncan discovers himself amongst the friendships he builds in the fantastical world of Water Wizz. Here he learns who he is, where he belongs, and what kind of person he wants to be.

The scenes at Water Wizz sizzle with summer fun all led by Rockwell who turns in an award-worthy performance here. He lights the screen on fire with his wacky, over-the-top, and earnest portrayal of Owen. He's so good that the rest of the film suffers when he isn't on screen. Duncan looks up to Owen as the father figure he never quite had and Owen relishes the opportunity to take Duncan under his wing. These scenes also feature a colorful array of wonderful cameos including Faxon and Rash, with Rash being particularly hilarious in his usual brand of quirky comedy, additionally the always great Maya Rudolph gets in on the fun as Owen's love interest. It's here where the film's simplistic intentions work to the film's advantage and not against it.

Outside Water Wizz, the plot gets a tad bogged down in the machinations of everyone else's stories as it's obvious the writers really only care about getting back to the fun waiting at the water park. We're treated to some adult side-stories with ho-hum results that I won't really get into here. There is one scene featuring some fantastic domestic drama played out over a game of "Candy Land." It's the second time this summer I've seen great conflict arise from a children's board game. The first being scenes in The Kings of Summer, featuring angrier than normal games of "Monopoly."

Towards the end of the film, Owen and Duncan are standing on top of one of Water Wizz's tallest water slides and Owen tells of the great world of opportunities and adventure awaiting Duncan. In that moment, you can see a shade of regret in Owen's eyes. Maybe he was meant for more in life than owning a few acres of land with some water slides? Maybe Owen isn't as happy as he seems, maybe this simplistic life isn't everything he wanted. Then again, maybe it is.

This scene stuck with me the most as the credits rolled as I believe it spoke to what The Way, Way Back's central objective was – to remind its audience how hopeless and lonely childhood is/was, and how when you grow up, those problems don't just magically disappear. Happiness isn't something that just happens but it comes from what you make of yourself and who you surround yourself with. For Duncan, it took a summer spent working at a water park and meeting an unlikely friend who shed some light on this important lesson before it was too late.

GRADE: B

ADDITIONAL THOUGHT: Allison Janney was hilariously over-the-top throughout the entire movie and it was amazing.


THE WAY, WAY BACK
Directed By: Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
PG-13, 103 minutes