The Way Way Back

2013 coming-of-age story

Rating: 13/20 (Jen: 17/20)

Plot: Mopey introverted Duncan, a "3" according to the jerk his mother is currently dating, has to vacation at a beach house against his will with his mother, that jerk of a boyfriend, and his daughter. He's not having a good time at all and gaining a little bit too much of an understanding of how adults operate until he befriends the manager of a nearby water park. He passes his days with some part-time work at the water park, and some other stuff happens.

I didn't understand the titular reference to station wagons until I looked it up, and I'd even experienced riding in one in the 80's with a friend named Vernon. The 1980's, obviously when this movie is supposed to be taking place, right? Well, maybe not. The characters are using MP3 players, and I can't figure out if those devices are anachronistic or if the look of the water park (although honestly, water parks are kind of timeless), the aforementioned station wagon, the bicycle, the Candyland game, or a scene where people are breakdancing on cardboard are. I thought a reference to popping and locking pushed this into more contemporary times, but popping and locking is apparently much older than I thought. I can't recall any modern references, but I can't recall any references from the 80's either except for some soundtrack selections, including and REO Speedwagon song that the main character sings. Of course, he's listening to that song on what appears to be an Ipod, so who knows what's going on. These are the exact kinds of things that keep me awake at night, by the way. I might have connected with Duncan several years ago, but I had trouble doing it now, mostly because he didn't have much personality at all. And he had bad posture. And I couldn't tell what decade this took place in. I thought Liam James was pretty good although I got the impression that directors Jim Rash (the dean from Community) and Nat Faxon (who you'll almost recognize), both who play employees at the water park, told the kid to try his best to act like the introverted young men in countless other movies. Allison Janney is almost funny as an exaggerated woman going through a midlife crisis and people usually paid to be funny--Minnie Ripperton's kid, Robert Corddry, and Steve Carell--aren't really allowed to be funny at all. Amanda Peet plays a whore. AnnaSophia Robb really plays the most likable character in this movie except for the ubiquitous Sam Rockwell who is allowed to be funny. I assume a lot of what he does here is improvisational, and he's likable enough but does sort of just seem like a perfectly-cut piece to fit into this safe little movie. For an indie coming-of-age that I think is going for offbeat or at least a little different, this sure feels a lot like every other indie coming-of-age movie.

I don't use labels on this blog anymore, but if I did, I'd be able to use my "eyepatch" tag. The kid with the eyepatch gave the writers an excuse to make a Star Wars reference that was sort of funny. Actually, now that I think of it, those were the stiff old-school Star Wars action figures the kid with the eyepatch was playing with. I think this movie was supposed to take place in the 80's! Damn, this is frustrating!