The Way, Way Back

A couple of years ago Nat Faxon and Jim Rash won an Oscar for co-writing 'The Descendants'. They now make their directing debut.
Coming-of-age films usually follow a pretty predictable formulae. They can all blend together and look pretty much the same. So it is more enjoyable when you have skilled writers who can make their film stand out even if on the surface it looks the same as other films. Nat and Jim have managed to make their film incredibly enjoyable by not only creating a very funny film but populating it with some really great characters. Duncan is a pretty typical moody teenager. His sullen mood is understandable when you consider what has happened to him. It would depress many young people. Luckily Duncan finds salvation in the unlikeliest of places. While his own family do not appreciate him he finds appreciation with a group of misfits that work at a water park.  These misfits are able to appreciate Duncan for who he is because they see some of themselves in him. I admit that much of it is pretty clichéd but Nat and Jim have made it enjoyable with their quick wit and great characters.
Nat and Jim have found a great young actor in Liam James. He is very sweet as Duncan and you can really feel his plight. Around this great performance you get an ensemble of some brilliant comedy actors. Toni Collette gives a more straight performance and so is not as funny but she brings a great deal of reality to her role. Allison Janney is her usual brilliant self even if her role is one you expect her to play. Amanda Peet, RobCorddry, Maya Rudolph and the film's writer/directors Nat Fixon and Jim Rash are also excellent in their small roles. Steve Carell usually plays nice guys or loveable idiots, so it is refreshing to see him play a real asshole. It is a darker side we don't normally see him play. The film though is stolen by the brilliant performance of Sam Rockwell. Again this is a role you would expect him to play but he is just so incredibly funny at it that you do not mind. He gets all the best lines in the film and is a joy to watch.
It is a typical coming-of-age film that is made with a great deal of wit and heart. Worth seeing just for Sam Rockwell alone.