The majority of coming-of-age movies are either really great because they nail the emotional element about the transition, or they’re incredibly lame, contrived, cliché and are a marketing vehicle for Disney’s latest tweener slave. Fortunately, Way is in the former category for me. I agree with the naysayers about how it treads on well-worn turf but the emotional sincerity is there thanks to the cast’s performance. For my money, this is a major reason why I love these movies and dislike the popcorn crap Hollywood cranks out every Summer. Besides, these stories will continue to happen in real life until there’s a cure for teenagers.
I’ll break with my pattern and give a quick premise since I doubt there were many trailers shown to plug Way.
Duncan is a 14-year-old boy stuck spending Summer vacation in New England with his mother, her douchebag boyfriend Trent and the Trent’s teenage daughter Stephanie. Being at a moody, fragile age plus still feeling the sting of his parents’ recent divorce, Duncan wanders around town in order to avoid Trent. Inevitably he is befriended by Owen, the manager of the local water park. Afterwards Duncan has that magical Summer many have or wish they did. It isn’t anything on par with Caddyshack, Superbad and the John Hughes catalog. Way is more subtle, like an updated, darker version of The Flamingo Kid (a movie often referred to by other reviews). To me it also has the additional undertones of Firstborn.
The acting is what cinched it. Liam James nails the whole awkward-teenage-boy vibe. He looks downward while walking. He would rather be alone. He hates Trent and wants to live with his father in San Diego. His conversation skills need serious work, especially when the cute girl from next door, Susana, is trying to break the ice. Steve Carell has the correct level of passive-aggressiveness down pat as Trent, the jerk boyfriend who openly bullies Duncan yet claims he is trying to do what’s best. Sam Rockwell’s Owen as the mythical older adult buddy/mentor brings the humorous moments coaxing Duncan out of his funk/shell. Owen does have a serious conversation or two, it wouldn’t be a coming-of-age film if he didn’t.
Nothing is really gained spending the money on Way in a theater but I highly recommend checking this out when it arrives on DVD, cable, streaming, etc. It was a nice palette cleanser from 2013’s rather disappointing tent-pole barrage.