The Way Back Review
- Director: Gavin O’Connor
- Starring: Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, Janina Gavankar, Glynn Turman
- Released: March 6, 2020
- Rated: R
- Runtime: 108 min
The Verdict
- Ben Affleck shines, bringing real realism and turmoil to his role, and the side characters back him up well. A simple plot gets elevated by honest hardship and an ending that isn’t too neat.
- A few stretches run a little long and could use some trimming. You may want more closure on the team’s season by the end.
Synopsis
Full Review (Spoilers)
Characters
All of the characters in this movie had a part to play in this movie. The biggest driving force was Ben Affleck. There’s not much holding back the story and the characters weren’t it.
Reviewer’s Curve
Ben Affleck really shines in this role. He brings a lot of realism and turmoil to his character. All of the side characters helped out as well. The conflict and relapse was perfect for the plot as well.
Plot
The Way Back showcased a great way to spruce up a simple plot. You have the main character go through some hardship and really drive the point home. The plot also didn’t have a clear happy ending for the main character which is appreciated.
Pacing
The pacing wasn’t bad at all. There were a few places when it got a bit long but the main characters really helped out. The Way Back would need a little trimming to be perfect.
Spoilers
Ben Affleck’s character falls off the wagon multiple times in this movie. The last time causes him to lose the coaching job. This was perfect since it showed the consequences of his actions. You cannot make all of these mistakes without something happening. He got arrested as well so him suffering a bit was warranted.
The winning ways of the team was great. They didn’t win each game by a ton. They won with all of the little things, a great call back to the lesson from the coach. Each game you could feel that the stakes increased. You never knew what games they would win and which ones they would lose. This wasn’t your typical story. It was fulled with setbacks.
I’m happy that Ben Affleck and Janina Gavankar’s characters didn’t get back together in the end. Their relationship you could tell was toxic after the death of their son. I couldn’t see anything great about it except for the apology he gave to her in the end. The way they left the relationship was perfect.
The Way Back (2020) Cast and Details
The Way Back (2020) is directed by Gavin O’Connor and stars Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, Janina Gavankar and Glynn Turman. It runs 108 minutes and is rated R. You can look up the full cast and crew on IMDb. You might also like my Onward review.
DC's Hypothetical Corner
Let’s say I change one thing. Maybe that one thing will make this movie better or more watchable.
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