The Way Way Back (2013)

Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Country: USA
Genre: Drama
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Toni Collette, Liam James, AnnaSophia Robb, Steve Carell,
Certificate Rating: 12
My Rating: 4/5

We've All Been There. 



Outcast Duncan finds it hard interacting with everyone around him on his summer vacation; including his mother, her boyfriend and her boyfriends daughter. Feeling alone he takes his time exploring the town of their holiday home and comes across Owen a local water park worker. Here Duncan explores his confidence and gets to be himself, but when he comes home after a shift he has to face the reality of the broken family.

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I had always wanted to go and see this film when it was released to cinemas but alas I never got the chance. I then completely forgot about it until it came up on TV so I thought I'd watch it. And of course I'd watch anything with AnnaSophia Robb in it as she is an amazing actress!

I found this film very realistic, it comes across almost like an independent movie but with high budgeted actors, e.g. Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell and Toni Collette. Every actor portrayed wonderful characters who depicted realistic interpretations of families on summer vacation. I especially liked the day when it rained; Duncan couldn't go to work, his mother and her boyfriend couldn't relax on the beach and they all resulted to staying indoors and playing 'Candy Land'. I don't know about any one else but this reminded me of when I went on family holidays and it rained, we would all be stuck indoors, bored, with nothing to do apart from card games or reading books. So I really enjoyed the effect of nostalgia this film brought to its audience.

I thought the Water Whizz Park looked like so much fun. As the audience you got to experience all the awkwardness and fun times that Duncan did, almost making you feel like you were a customer at the water park. Also who wouldn't want to work there? Seems like so much fun!! All the workers seemed like they were enjoying themselves despite not being able to join in on the fun most of the time, even Lewis looked like he enjoyed himself. I also didn't realise that Lewis and Roddy were the directors of the film Nat Faxon (Roddy) and Jim Rash (Lewis).

This film was definitely a good watch, I'm glad I was finally able to see it! I really liked how the distance between Duncan and his mother diminished at the ending when she realised what Duncan had been up to and you saw how proud she was, whilst she was too busy trying to fit in to someone else's life. The ending made me smile the most when his mother moves from the passenger seat to the boot to sit with her son and watch the world go by.

For anyone interested in a contemporary, slightly indie, film then this would be a perfect Summer watch for you!

Enjoy x

IMDB:  The Way Way Back