Quartile rating: 7/10 · 4 ratings
Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.
The Way Way Back is a warm, well-performed coming-of-age dramedy that leans heavily on familiar genre conventions — the misfit teen finding himself over a transformative summer is well-trodden territory, and the film hits most expected beats without much surprise. Where it genuinely excels is in its performances: Sam Rockwell is magnetic and funny as Owen, Steve Carell plays against type with unsettling effectiveness as the menacing Trent, and the ensemble supports them well. The plot is competent but formulaic, hitting predictable notes of self-discovery. Cinematography is functional and unassuming — pleasant but not distinctive. Novelty is low; the film is essentially a well-executed iteration of a very established genre with few truly fresh ideas. The ending is satisfying emotionally but tidy in a way that feels slightly too convenient.