• The Way, Way Back (2013)

    Duncan (Liam James) is an awkward teen who must spend the summer at a beach house with his mother (Toni Collette), her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and Trent's obnoxious daughter. Trent can't resist badgering Duncan, so the youth steals away to a water park and gets a job that will help him stay off Trent's radar. As Duncan tends to the slides and pools of the aging park, he...

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The Way, Way Back
68
metacriticBased on 41 Critics
79
Based on 207 Users

Release Date: July 5th, 2013

DVD Release Date: October 22nd, 2013

PG-13 |1 hr 43 min

Plot Summary

Duncan (Liam James) is an awkward teen who must spend the summer at a beach house with his mother (Toni Collette), her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and Trent's obnoxious daughter. Trent can't resist badgering Duncan, so the youth steals away to a water park and gets a job that will help him stay off Trent's radar. As Duncan tends to the slides and pools of the aging park, he finds a father figure in wisecracking park manager Owen (Sam Rockwell) at a time when he desperately needs one.

Cast: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Liam James, Rob Corddry

Director: Nat Faxon , Jim Rash

Genres: Comedy drama

Production Co: Odd Lot Entertainment, Doubleyou Inc., Sycamore Pictures

Distributors: Fox Searchlight

Keywords: Transformation, Car, Best friend, Charming, Mother, Love, Growing up, Friendship, 2010s

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Ratings & Reviews

  • 88
    Peter TraversRolling Stone

    The Way Way Back gets it wittily, thrillingly right. It turns the familiar into something bracingly fresh and funny. It makes you laugh, then breaks your heart. show more

  • 75
    Ella TaylorNPR

    The Way, Way Back isn't exactly memorable, and strictly speaking it would do just fine on a small screen. But unlike the glib "The Descendants," which is also about, it's smart, funny and moving about human weakness. show more

  • 70
    John DeForeThe Hollywood Reporter

    Despite the familiarity of this setup, Way Back is a charmer, putting refreshingly little emphasis on Duncan's romantic needs and allowing family melodrama to erupt and simmer down without pat resolution. show more

See all critic reviews on metacritic.com

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