Sounds of Summer

Most movies about teenagers on summer vacation focus on two things: drinking booze and hooking up. But The Way Way Back is not most movies. Released in 2013, The Way Way Back provided a breath of fresh air in a season typically overcrowded with superheroes. And even now, seven years later, it is the perfect movie to kick off the first official weekend of summer.

Liam James stars as Duncan, forced to spend the summer on the coast with his mom, her pompous boyfriend and his daughter. Innocence practically oozes out of Duncan’s pores. The first scene immediately puts the audience on his side. On the way to the house, Trent, the aforementioned boyfriend, asks Duncan (relegated to the back of the station wagon) to rate himself. Duncan, feeling forced to respond, answers with, ‘6.’ Trent disagrees, says he would rate Duncan a 3. That Trent is seemingly unaware of the cruelty in his conversation adds to the frustration and heartbreak. Unexpectedly, a job at Water Wizz Water Park gives Duncan the strength he had all along, the strength to discover and become his own person. Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Way Way Back overflows with sharp wit and a quiet wisdom.

The lead cast features Toni Collette as Pam, Duncan’s mom, and Steve Carell as her boyfriend Trent. Both are pitch perfect. Pam is nursing wounds from a prior marriage and desperately wants to find stability with Trent, so much so that she may be ignoring what is right in front of her. Collette perfectly balances Pam's uncertainty with an inner strength that is yet to be discovered. Carell makes another argument that portraying the evolution of The Office's Michael Scott from bumbling, insensitive idiot to kind, loving human was only the tip of his acting iceberg. 

Rounding out the cast are national treasures Allison Janney, who steals every scene she is in, and Sam Rockwell as Owen, who sees something of himself in Duncan. Owen, whose exact role (besides director of sarcasm) at Water Wizz is unclear, is lazy and sarcastic on the outside, but on the inside beats a heart of gold. Owen's genuine care for Duncan’s well-being makes me want to have him as my friend who can drive. Rockwell's performance is a standout.

One of the reasons The Way Way Back is the perfect summer movie is that the music – spot on at every turn – infuses the movie with the warmth of the summer sun. From the mellow strumming of Edie Brickell to the raucous “Recess” from Eli “Paperboy” Reed, the music feels intentional, but not overbearingly so. It simply fits. In every case, even when the choice is silence – as in the tense first scene – the music, or lack thereof, underscores the tone of the scene and the personality of the characters.

The final scene takes us full circle.  It ends where it began, in the way back of the station wagon. But this time, to his surprise, Duncan is not alone. No words are exchanged between mother and son, but the expression on Collette’s face and the look in her eyes speaks volumes. Start your summer off right with The Way Way Back, one of the best examples of a summer movie with humor, heartache and hope.