Who doesn’t love a good coming-of-age film? Terrible, terrible people, that’s who. One of the best of the genre premiered at Sundance earlier this year, and while some folks might think I’m referring to The Spectacular Now (which to be fair is a pretty good movie too) I’m actually talking about The Way, Way Back.
Screenwriters (and co-stars) Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (The Descendants) make their directorial debut with this comedic drama about an awkward boy coming into his own. My full review is here. Duncan (Liam James) is said awkward teenager on the edge of who knows what, but the last thing he needs is a summer vacation trapped with his mother (Toni Collette), potential step-sister, and annoying soon-to-be step-dad (Steve Carell). He finds solace though in a local girl (AnnaSophia Robb) and part-time job at a water park staffed with weirdos. And lucky for him (and us) the king of the weirdos is played by Mr. Sam Rockwell. Maybe the summer won’t be so bad after all.
Check out the trailer for The Way Way Back below.
The trailer does a fine job balancing the humor and the drama and accurately represents the movie itself without revealing any of the big laughs or major dramatic conflicts. Carell dials back as the straight man while Rockwell steals the film with his own particular brand of awesome zaniness, but the real star is James, who delivers the most convincingly awkward movie teen in decades.
The Way, Way Back opens July 5th, 2013.
