'The Way, Way Back' movie review: Coming-of-age dramatic comedy ...

It's bad enough that he is relegated to the way, way back seat of his mother's boyfriend's "classic" Buick station wagon -- if there indeed is such a thing. You know the place: the rear-facing seat that makes it impossible for anyone to look cool, much less if that person is a 14-year-old boy. But for Duncan, that's just the beginning of his troubles.

Mired deep in the throes of teenage awkwardness, he is fatherless, he is friendless and -- forced to spend the summer at said Buick-driving boyfriend's beach house -- he is utterly alone. Technically speaking there are people there, circulating in and out of his general vicinity. But they're there only in a physical sense.

His mother, for example, is too busy trying to start over after the end of a bad marriage to give Duncan any attention. As for her boyfriend, his disinterest -- even disdain -- for Duncan couldn't be more obvious than his beach house's need for a coat of paint.

From an emotional standpoint, the way, way back seat of that Buick might as well be a deserted island.

Duncan and his teenage woes are the center of the coming-of-age dramatic comedy, "The Way, Way Back," and while it all might sound like well-covered ground -- you know: hopelessly awkward kid struggles to transition from boyhood to manhood -- it makes for a compelling and surprisingly sweet ride. Along the way, what easily could have become a total thematic retread ends up being a refreshingly warm release that doubles as an antidote to the traditional monsters-vs.-robots summertime fare.

Credit is largely due to first-time directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rush, two actors-turned-screenwriters who successfully make the transition to directors here after sharing the best adapted screenplay Oscar for "The Descendants" in 2011. Not only does their "Way, Way Back" script move along briskly, but they've managed to populate their film with a fantastic cast.?

Toni Collette ("The Sixth Sense") portrays Duncan's emotionally overtaxed mother, with AnnaSophia Robb ("Because of Winn-Dixie") as the pretty girl next door whose mere presence sends Duncan into fits of embarrassing babbling. The linchpin to it all, though, is relative newcomer Liam James as Duncan.

Viewers of the USA Network series "Psych" might recognize him as Young Shawn in that show's regular flashback segments, but this is James' first real chance to seize a leading role, and he acquits himself nicely. Telegraphing teenage angst and awkwardness with his every move -- and even when he's not moving or saying anything -- his Duncan is believable and, more importantly, entirely sympathetic.

Every bit as key is Steve Carell, once more demonstrating his range as an actor who can walk credibly in the worlds of both drama ("Little Miss Sunshine," "Seeking a Friend for the End of the World") and goofball comedy ("Anchorman," "The Office"). Here, he gets the thankless -- but essential -- role of Duncan's mother's boyfriend, Trent, an emotionally abusive boor whose idea of constructive criticism is to inform Duncan that he ranks a "3" on a scale of 1 to 10.

Along the way, Carell also showcases his generosity as an actor. Playing a despicable, self-absorbed jerk, he is entirely unlikeable. But his job here isn't to be liked. It's to bully Duncan emotionally and to stand back as the rest of the cast get all the funny lines.

Early on, Allison Janney is the chief beneficiary there, playing Trent's boozy, good-time-Charlie neighbor. At first glance, she is a hoot -- the kind of person you'd love to have a few margaritas with -- but she is also a sad and pitiful woman, one who wears her desperation her sleeve. She's very much like all the adults in Duncan's life.

Until, that is, he meets Owen, the manager of a nearby water park who takes the kid under his wing. In addition to giving him a job, he also ends up giving Duncan the one thing an awkward 14-year-old needs: a sense that somebody actually cares what happens to him.

Granted, that sounds far mushier than Owen would ever let on. Played wonderfully by the chameleonic Sam Rockwell, he is a fast-talking, wise-cracking man-child who plays Pac-Man when he has spare time and who can't seem to take anything seriously. Twenty years ago, one suspects, Bill Murray would have nailed this role.

Secretly, though, Owen knows just how Duncan feels. It's also clear that co-directors Faxon and Rash (who play supporting roles as water park employees Roddy and Lewis) know exactly how it feels -- perhaps even remember how it feels -- to be a 14-year-old nobody. That imbues their film with a sense of authenticity and a vital relatability, as Duncan becomes a sympathetic Everyteen, a loveable square peg in a world of obnoxiously round holes.

Best of all, they do all that without weighing their film down with emotional baggage. Often, this sort of movie takes a dark turn somewhere around two-thirds of the way through when it's time to deliver its Very Serious Message. And make no mistake, there are dramatic moments in "The Way, Way Back," as well as some plot turns that ramp up the emotional investment. But Faxon and Rash manage to pull it off without drinking too deeply from the well of despair that so many writers relish.

What we get is the rare film that manages to be breezy while also being meaningful. "The Way, Way Back" is way, way good -- and a welcome breath of fresh air at the summertime box office.

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THE WAY, WAY BACK
4 stars, out of 5

Snapshot: A dramatic comedy about an awkward teen who, forced to spend his summer vacation at the beach with his mother and her self-absorbed boyfriend, finds friendship in an unlikely place.

What works: In addition to being well-cast, it is well-written, managing to be breezy and emotionally rewarding at the same time.

What doesn't: The central theme -- awkward kid trying to find his way -- is hardly a fresh one.

Cast: Liam James, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSohpia Robb, Maya Rudolph, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet. Directors: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash. Rating: PG-13, for thematic elements, language, some sexual content and brief drug material. Running time: 1 hour 43 minutes. Where: Find New Orleans showtimes.

Source: http://www.nola.com/movies/index.ssf/2013/07/the_way_way_back_movie_review.html

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