This is a non-spoiler review for The Way Back.
Several years after directing Warrior, one of the best sports movies of recent times (And one of my personal favorite overall), Gavin O’Connor revisits the sports redemption genre with an inspiring underdog story with a big focus on its main character’s emotional journey & struggles.
O’Connor rejoins forces with Ben Affleck after their previous collaboration in The Accountant, to tell the story of Jack, an alcoholic who takes a job to coach the basketball team of his old high school.
Read our character analysis on Ben Affleck’s first screenplay “Good Will Hunting” by clicking here.
The Way Back – Review
Jack is a man completley lost on the abyss of alcoholism. His development is mostly shown, rather than told, & this helps the film become more impactful, as we see him his ups & downs. Jack’s 2-minute silent introduction is enough to define him as a hurting man with a drinking problem.
The music’s soft strings & piano create an ambiance that fits perfectly with the tone of the movie. But, it is all not somber and darkness. To contrast Jack’s challenging emotional journey, you have the basketball team which will make you crack a few laughs and get motivated. The kids add heart to the film, which focuses several side-plots to add weight on the positive effects that Jack’s influence has on them, and vice versa.
With this in mind, it is amazing how Sports is the easiest medium to pump up someone and get motivational in a film, and of course, in life. Sports help people be better and climb through obstacles that parallel their actual life challenges with the ones on the field. That’s the beauty of it. Sports will always remain a great genre to watch to feel good and learn something positive.
Now, don’t get me wrong, The Way Back is not going to be on any pedestal as other classical underdog sports films like Warrior, Remember the Titans or any others, but it’s a solid watch. This is a film that will linger in your mind for a while after you finish it. This is mainly because the film ends where it needs to, avoiding the usual sports & addiction cliches. The Way Back drives itself on real consequences for Jack’s actions and the hard work that’s needed in order to overcome them.
Ben Affleck: Shared Stories
The most heartfelt aspect about The Way Back is Ben Affleck’s choice to be a part of it. This is a personal film for Affleck, who himself is a recovered alcoholic. Ben had been very private about this dark chapter of his life, but it was during the making of the film, and during the press tour that he opened up about it, and started giving his testimony.
Ben was a victim of his own failures & struggles to recover from the pain he inflicted as an alcoholic, so he wanted to mirror this same cursed reality in this film. The fact that he was brave enough to be part of a story that realistically shows the struggles of alcoholism and the destructiveness that it has on one’s life and the ones of those around you speak a lot of him and his recovery.
This adds lots of weight to Affleck’s performance, which is one of his best in recent years. You can really feel how he channeled his past experiences and used them to enhance the compelling character of Jack.
Score: 7/10
The Way Back is a grounded take on the reality behind alcoholism that manages to be first a story about a challenging recovery journey about a man who struggles to become a happy man, and a sports redemption story second. Avoiding the typical movie cliches of sports & addiction movies solidifies this story, and together with a great performance by Affleck and the kids, this becomes a great watch.
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