By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.75 cats
Director: Jim Rash | Nat Faxon
Starring: Allison Janney | Amanda Peet | AnnaSophia Robb | Liam James | Maya Rudolph | Sam Rockwell | Steve Carell | Toni Collette
Country: united_states
Year: 2013
Running time: 103
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/combined
Thom says: “This new dysfunctional family-on-vacation coming-of-age dramedy is a first time effort from the directors who won the 2012 Oscar for adapted screenplay for THE DESCENDANTS along with Alexander Payne. It’s a decent first effort that is nicely character-driven around the summer antics of 14-year-old Duncan who is staying with his mother Pam at her boyfriend’s Trent summer retreat along with the boyfriend’s nasty teenage daughter Susanna. We see immediately what a turd Trent is while on the way to the cabin he asks Duncan what he would rate himself on a scale of 1-to-10 and when he can’t drag a sufficient number out of him he tells him he’d give him a 3.
“On arriving at the middle-class summer beach community they all bond with their neighbor Betty, a delightful lush, if that’s not an oxymoron. Duncan disappears for long periods of time as he’s acquired a job at nearby Water Wizz, a water theme park run by Owen, a somewhat demented but charming type who befriends poor Duncan and teaches him many needed facts of life. The entire staff at Water Wizz is all deliriously kooky and provides a viable, welcoming alternative to Duncan’s problems at home.
“While never quite brilliant the heartfelt story and especially the spot-on acting bring this pleasant film up a level. Liam James might be a shade too old for Duncan but he acquits himself nobly. Toni Collette is memorable as always as a confused Pam, Steve Carrell is perfect as dirt bag Trent, Sam Rockwell is better than ever as wacky Owen, & Allison Janney has a great turn as the always tanked Betty. A nice break from the rash of action films & the ‘big story’ productions that usually litter the multiplexes during the summer months. 4 cats”
Chris says: “As summertime, sorta-indie crowd-pleasing dramadies go, this directorial effort from Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (screenwriters of THE DESCENDANTS) ain’t half bad. Actually, it’s wonderful whenever Sam Rockwell appears as a snarky but good-hearted New England resort town water park employee who takes the film’s lead, a vacationing 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James, disarmingly natural) under his wing, encouraging the boy to find himself. Often ignored or misused, Rockwell is perfectly cast here, adept at both the humor and pathos the part requires and showing no strain in expressing either one. As for the Rockwell-less sections of the film, the conflict between Duncan, his divorced mother (a muted Toni Colette) and her jerk boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell) is less engaging if only because Trent is such a relentlessly awful jerk that I came to dread the mere sight of him onscreen. No fault of Carell’s, who successfully plays against type, giving his all to finding any possible nuance in the character. Allison Janney’s fitfully funny as a perpetually sloshed neighbor, but she already did that part more successfully in AWAY WE GO. As filmmakers, Faxon and Rash aren’t quite at Alexander Payne’s level, but they’re always sincere. While that alone doesn’t propel THE WAY WAY BACK to greatness, you nonetheless appreciate how its presence drives and enhances the film. 3.5 cats”