The Way Back

Starring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Janina Gavankar, Brandon Wilson, Will Ropp, Fernando Luis Vega, Melvin Gregg, Ben Irving, Jeremy Radin, John Alyward
Directed by: Gavin O'Connor
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Sport
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A alcoholic former basketball star (Ben Affleck) reluctantly agrees to coach his high school team.

Review:

Tim: I'm a fan of director Gavin O'Connor and his partnering with Ben Affleck results in another very good movie (after the surprisingly effective The Accountant). This is a basketball movie, but it's even more so a character study into a deeply complex, flawed man. I enjoyed the film and it's one I would highly recommend.

You don't see many high school sports movies rated R. This gave the film an interesting quality to it. There's a ton of adult language and the movie takes a sobering (I know) look at an alcoholic in the early steps on the road to recover (a way back, you might say). I appreciated that this film didn't set out to be your typical feel-good sports movie. Sure, there's some inspirational aspects to the story that play well, but the movie takes a more realistic view of these characters and the story. There's ups and downs, setbacks, and a Hollywood ending isn't guaranteed. I really appreciated this approach to the subject matter.

This translates into the basketball action as well. We've all probably seen so many sports movies, we know that the team that's down gets an inspirational pep talk and comes out looking like a different team. That doesn't happen here. This movie provides one of the most realistic views of basketball games I've ever seen. I played high school basketball and the games felt like this- even during a comeback, there's nothing miraculous about it. You chip away at the opponent's lead- a point here, a bucket there, a stop here, a turnover there. This movie took that believable approach, showing the grind that is a reality in most sporting events. Nothing miraculous happens instantaneously- it's a hundred small moments leading up to a big finale. I really loved how basketball was portrayed here.

Now, talking about this film, you have to acknowledge the strong performance of Ben Affleck. It's been fun to see his career resurgence in recent years. While he's not perfect, his track record has become increasingly impressive. This is another great performance in an entertaining, well-made movie. He isn't going for likeability here, he truly is trying to tell the story of this flawed, sometimes awful, sometimes amazing human being. It's a performance grounded in authenticity and treats the audience like intelligent adults. I really enjoyed what he did in this role. This film is undoubtedly about Affleck- he's front and center and while the supporting cast is good, they never take up too much space in the story.

Al Madrigal is perhaps the standout supporting actor. His performance is wonderful. He says a lot without a great deal of dialogue and leaves a lasting impression on the audience. He was one of the best parts of the film. Brandon Wilson added a strong performance as well. He got a few chances to shine and rose to the occasion. He was important to the film.

Gavin O'Connor directs another really solid movie. His film is tough to watch in points, but it never fully extinguishes the audience's patience. There's always a payoff for those harder scenes. This is a movie about a broken man trying to pick up the pieces, as well as a high school basketball movie. There's some fascinating ideas about religion, life and death, forgiveness, and redemption. It's a messy road our protagonist travels. I had a blast watching this story. I went into the film having heard positive things and it still surpassed my expectations. The Way Back is a movie I'd highly, highly recommend.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Accountant, Warrior