Coming-of-Age Story

The Way, Way Back is a refreshing change of pace during summer movie season

Coming-of-age movies, somewhat ironically, seem to be a rite of passage for many filmmakers. There’s something about the awkwardness of youth, dealing with embarrassing parents and the prospect of first love that is catnip for writers and directors early in their career.

The latest to mine that subject matter are Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, who won an Oscar for writing The Descendants; they make their directorial debut with The Way, Way Back. Their protagonist is Duncan (Liam James), a teenager who’s forced spend the summer in a small beach town with his his mother, Pam (Toni Collette); her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell); and Trent’s daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin).

The idea that a 14-year-old wouldn’t relish the chance to spend summer at the beach comes off as more than a bit strange.

That wouldn’t seem to be that horrible of a fate, but when you’re painfully shy, your mom seems to be off in her own world and her boyfriend tends to belittle you at every turn, it can feel like a prison sentence.

Duncan finds a bit of salvation at the local water park, where the manager, Owen (Sam Rockwell), takes pity on him. Owen hires Duncan for temporary summer work while simultaneously taking him under his wing. And because any good coming-of-age story wouldn’t be complete without a fledgling romance, Duncan develops a hesitant flirtation with Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb), the girl next door.

The way the film is set up, it’s both easy to sympathize with Duncan and hard to understand why exactly he’s so sullen. His family life isn’t perfect, but it’s far from horrendous. And the idea that an otherwise normal 14-year-old wouldn’t relish the chance to spend the summer at the beach comes off as more than a bit strange.

But once the story allows him to open up, the film takes a turn for the better as well. Owen, a man who refuses to grow up, is pretty much the perfect companion for a kid looking to break out of his shell. Rockwell’s rat-a-tat delivery and laid-back demeanor make him a perfect fit for the character.

James is good as Duncan, but the strong supporting cast around him helps immensely. Aside from Rockwell, Robb, Carell, Collette, Allison Janney, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Maya Rudolph, Faxon and Rash all deliver great moments, elevating James’ work in the process.

It’s not the finest example of a coming-of-age work in movie history, but The Way, Way Back is a nice change of pace during summer blockbuster season. If nothing else, it’ll have you longing to spend your summer at the beach.

AnnaSophia Robb's Susanna is the summer crush of Liam James' Duncan in The Way, Way Back.

The Way, Way Back

Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures

AnnaSophia Robb's Susanna is the summer crush of Liam James' Duncan in The Way, Way Back.

Movie Review

Michelle Pfeiffer is an unappreciated mom in Oh. What. Fun.

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios

Michelle Pfeiffer in Oh. What. Fun.

Of all the formulaic movie genres, Christmas/holiday movies are among the most predictable. No matter what the problem is that arises between family members, friends, or potential romantic partners, the stories in holiday movies are designed to give viewers a feel-good ending even if the majority of the movie makes you feel pretty bad.

That’s certainly the case in Oh. What. Fun., in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays Claire, an underappreciated mom living in Houston with her inattentive husband, Nick (Denis Leary). As the film begins, her three children are arriving back home for Christmas: The high-strung Channing (Felicity Jones) is married to the milquetoast Doug (Jason Schwartzman); the aloof Taylor (Chloë Grace Moretz) brings home yet another new girlfriend; and the perpetual child Sammy (Dominic Sessa) has just broken up with his girlfriend.

Each of the family members seems to be oblivious to everything Claire does for them, especially when it comes to what she really wants: For them to nominate her to win a trip to see a talk show in L.A. hosted by Zazzy Tims (Eva Longoria). When she accidentally gets left behind on a planned outing to see a show, Claire reaches her breaking point and — in a kind of Home Alone in reverse — she decides to drive across the country to get to the show herself.

Written and directed by Michael Showalter (The Idea of You), and co-written by Chandler Baker (who wrote the short story on which the film is based), the movie never establishes any kind of enjoyable rhythm. Each of the characters, including competitive neighbor Jeanne (Joan Chen), is assigned a character trait that becomes their entire personality, with none of them allowed to evolve into something deeper.

The filmmakers lean hard into the idea that Claire is a person who always puts her family first and receives very little in return, but the evidence presented in the story is sketchy at best. Every situation shown in the film is so superficial that tension barely exists, and the (over)reactions by Claire give her family members few opportunities to make up for their failings.

The most interesting part of the movie comes when Claire actually makes it to the Zazzy Sims show. Even though what happens there is just as unbelievable as anything else presented in the story, Showalter and Baker concoct a scene that allows Claire and others to fully express the central theme of the film, and for a few minutes the movie actually lives up to its title.

Pfeiffer, given her first leading role since 2020’s French Exit, is a somewhat manic presence, and her thick Texas accent and unnecessary voiceover don’t do her any favors. It seems weird to have such a strong supporting cast with almost nothing of substance to do, but almost all of them are wasted, including Danielle Brooks in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo. The lone exception is Longoria, who is a blast in the few scenes she gets.

Oh. What. Fun. is far from the first movie to try and fail at becoming a new holiday classic, but the pedigree of Showalter and the cast make this dismal viewing experience extra disappointing. Ironically, overworked and underappreciated moms deserve a much better story than the one this movie delivers.

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Oh. What. Fun. is now streaming on Prime Video.

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