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The way way back7/7/2023 ![]() This is also an example of the studio attempting to recreate the same aura as “Little Miss Sunshine” without a clear understanding of what made that film work. I understand he’s not supposed to be agreeable, but this is also a case where the writing could have been improvedĪnother problem I had with the film was how forced the drama and the Aesop felt, the Aesop being the moral or message a film is trying to get across. While I can give Steve Carell props for going against type, his performance was lacking in certain regards. In the case of the acting, it’s good for the most part, but some performances are hindered by the writing and the fact that some of the characters were just unnecessary. That character, while being a laid-back party animal, didn’t feel nearly as ridiculous and cartoony as some of the supporting cast that were introduced at the start of the film. The story really begins to pick up once Sam Rockwell’s character is introduced. However, I’m willing to dismiss this on the grounds of artistic license as it helped me as a viewer to empathize with the main character. On that same note, the beginning of this film is a bit unpleasant. Part of it is because there are just some characters who don’t really add to the story in any capacity aside from spewing an excess of venom. While it does an okay job of giving us a fairly relatable main lead, as well as some downright repulsive supporting characters, there’s never really a dynamic that’s established. Sadly, this film never quite hits that stride. The first thing I noticed right off the bat is that it feels like the studio was hoping to recreate the same style and setting of “Little Miss Sunshine” and failed at this due to the film missing a few key factors: namely the dysfunctional yet natural dynamic between the characters that made “Little Miss Sunshine” so likable. Rounding out the supporting cast, we have AnnaSophia Robb, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney and Amanda Peet. This sets the stage for your typical coming-of-age/unforgettable summer story where Duncan begins to work through his anxieties and hang-ups. “The Way, Way Back” stars Liam James as Duncan, a 14-year-old saddled with spending the summer with his mom, played by Toni Collette, her new boyfriend Trent, played by Steve Carell, and his daughter, played by Zoe Levin, at Trent’s beach house in an unspecified seaside town.ĭuring the vacation, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, played by Sam Rockwell, the manager of the Water Wizz water park. Watch Romney’s video review of “The Way, Way Back”.
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