Linda and I saw a really good movie last night, ‘The Way Way Back‘. It’s a coming of age story about Duncan (Liam James), the awkward teenage son of Pam (Toni Collette – one of my favorite actors), on vacation with her and her new and insufferable boyfriend (Steve Carell) at his summer home. Great characters abound, including Allison Janney as Betty, the boozy, cleavage showing neighbor, her sensitive teenage daughter Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb), Sam Rockwell as Owen, a very likable cutup from the local water park, and Maya Rudolph as his put upon co-worker, Caitlin.
Duncan is the most awkward teen you can imagine. He doesn’t know how to talk to anyone, much less girls. He doesn’t know how to express his disdain for the boyfriend and his pouty daughter. He doesn’t know how to tell his mother she is more of an adolescent teen than he is. He’s pretty much disgusted with the world and himself and lets it show.
He meets Owen playing Pacman at a pizza parlor and later meets him again at the Water Whizz park (where he shows up in button down shirt and jeans, completely out of place). The park becomes his secret refuge from the dysfunctional beach house and his first real foray into being a confident, happy teenager.
It has some predictable elements of a coming of age story, but not to enough of a degree to ruin it. The characters and the sweetness of the 2 teenage leads carry the movie and make it worth seeing. Since the cinematography isn’t spectacular or unique, it’s the kind of movie you can rent or watch on Netflix instead of in the theatre, if you are so inclined.
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On a related note
With 10 minutes left in the movie, an entire entourage of at least 12 people, all grown adults, and seemingly family related to each other, came into the theatre, stopped IN FRONT OF THE MOVIE, and started to talk about where they wanted to sit. They were big and loud and slow and sat all over the theatre, plopping down right next to complete strangers in the darkened theatre, all the while talking to those still standing up, telling them where else they could sit. With about 2 minutes left in the movie a usher came in and told them they had to leave, which they did, AS THE MOVIE REACHED ITS CLIMAX! To say it was distracting is an understatement.
We came out at the end of the movie and complained to a cop (yes, a cop) who was in the walkway. The whole crew of people were sitting on benches waiting to go in and they gave us the stink eye as we walked by. It was so absurd to think not one, not two, but at least a dozen full grown adults, could all think it ok to walk in and do that. Teens? I would be pissed but understand they are idiots who don’t know better, YET. But adults? One old enough to have a CANE? I mean, really. come on.
Anyway, AMC was kind enough to give us passes for another show, and we appreciated that. It still floors me though.