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THE WAY WAY BACK Tender and understated drama from the writers of The Descendants
A coming-of-age comedy-drama, The Way Way Back is the directorial debut of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, the Oscar-winning screenwriters behind Alexander Payne’s The Descendants. This tale of an awkward- in-his-skin teenager isn’t quite as broadly accomplished as Payne’s film, though in its own quiet way, has much to recommend it. Liam James plays 14-year-old Duncan, forced to endure an excruciating summer with his well-meaning mother Pam (Toni Collette) and her new partner Trent (Steve Carell).
Set to spend the holidays together in a New England beach house, Duncan’s self- confidence has already taken a battering from Trent on the journey up, when he forces the lad to rate himself on a scale of ten (Duncan mumbles ‘6’, only to be told he’s more of a ‘3’). With Duncan left miserable and isolated, even the attentions of literal girl-next-door Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) doesn’t seem
to help. But then he meets Sam Rockwell’s Owen, the laid-back manager of Water Wizz, a nearby pool park. Secretly sloping off to the park every day, Duncan is soon given gainful employment by Owen, who gradually coaxes him from his shell. If this is hardly groundbreaking (just swap James’ character for Jesse Eisenberg’s in the similar theme park-set Adventureland), what works is how Faxon and Rash show the angst isn’t all adolescent.
It sometimes treads a too-obvious path – not least Carell’s oafish character, who, on top of everything else, is unfaithful. But with Rockwell on fine form, Owen’s tender relationship with Duncan surrounds the low- key laughs with a beautifully understated emotional core. (James Mottram)
General release from Wed 28 Aug, (12A), 103min ●●●●●
HITLIST THE BEST FILM RELEASES & EVENTS
✽ Elysium From the director of District 9 comes this intelligent sci-fi about a
spaceship – the titular Elysium – which hovers above earth and homes the wealthy and privileged, who no longer want to live on a polluted planet. See review, page 56. On general release now.
✽ Upstream Colour Beautiful, compelling
and wilfully inexplicable, Shane Carruth has created a film like no other. It’s destined to be puzzled over for years to come. See feature, page 19 and review, page 55. Limited release from Fri 30 Aug.
✽ The Great Beauty Italian maestro Paolo Sorrentino channels Fellini in this elegant
exploration of contemporary Rome. See review, page 57. Limited release from Fri 6 Sep.
✽ Ain’t Them Bodies Saints Much lauded at its Sundance premiere, this haunting American drama about love, crime and redemption unfolds against the backdrop of 1970s Texas. Starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. See feature, page 54, and review, page 57. Limited release from Fri 6 Sep.
✽ Rush Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl excel as the deeply competitive 1970s
F1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in this tense drama from Ron Howard. See review, page 55. General release from Fri 13 Sep.
✽ Plein Soleil Look out for the re-release of this 1960s masterpiece – an adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Talented Mr Ripley with a star turn by a young Alain Delon. See review, page 56. Limited release from Fri 30 Aug.
22 Aug–19 Sep 2013 THE LIST 53