Next up on the reviewersphere was The Way Way Back which was the film I was most looking forward to seeing and although I didn’t like it as much as I thought I found there was still plenty to enjoy.

Like What Maisie Knew it was the cast that caught my attention. It’s like a film nerd’s fantasy football draft (using the terms correctly, right?):

Steve Carell

Toni Collette

Alison Janney

Sam Rockwell

Maya Rudolph

They are all pitch perfect in their roles. Sam Rockwell has long been a favorite of mine. A understated versatile actor who has I’ve loved since 1992’s In The Soup, but has up until recently been under the radar when it comes to his range of talent particularly in the comedy stakes. That might have something to do with one of his most memorable roles as rapist murderer dirtbag “Wild Bill” Wharton in 1999’s The Green Mile  somewhat overshadowed his extraordinary comedic work. For those who have been following his comedic work over the last two decades, it’s heartening to see the recognition finally being given to Rockwell (please see Seven Psychopaths as a particular highlight) it should come as no surprise that he shines too in The Way Way Back as the hapless but loveable water world park owner that titular character Duncan (Liam James) befriends while on holiday with his mum (Toni Collette) and beau Trent (Steve Carell).

Reminiscent of The Descendants, is the story’s tone. Like the aforementioned the story here is  a little vague and not really the point. Its a basic coming of age tale for the young socially awkward kid, Duncan but with a bit of a twist with the adults acting like kids and the kids being the adult observers. As the film says, these holiday towns are basically spring break for grown ups. Also reminiscent of The Descendants is the setting, a beautiful beach town, not in Hawaii this time, but somewhere nearly as nice.

Finally (I’ll stop with the comparisons, I promise. This film isn’t The Descendants 2.0) what is equally reminiscent of The Descendants and personally detrimental is the meandering tone of the story, there are no real stakes in the film, and while there doesn’t necessarily have to be, the film repeatedly attempts to shoehorn in bigger and misplaced stakes that require better set ups and certainly don’t justify the huge payoffs the film thinks it deserves. What results is a number of disjointed and misplaced scenes that look to have come from inferior movies. (There’s a scene ripped right out of one of those Step Up movies I swear) I found myself feeling sorry for some of these actors I revers in scenes that were obviously beneath them. It’s shocking seeing that these scenes were written by Nat Faxon (of cancelled Ben & Kate) and Jim Rash (of Community fame). What is all the more shocking are that these scenes follow and precede genuinely well written, well made, well acted, funny, natural moments written and directed by the same people.

Like my all time favorite film The Station Agent this is the same criticism of The Way Way Back, I would have just have been content with the film being content with itself as a nice subtle film. I found myself really wrapped up in the more natural moments, easy-going parts of the story which felt all the more disjointed with the interruptive and unnecessary roped in scenes of tension between secondary characters like Maya Rudolph’s Caitlin. However unlike The Station Agent where this problem on really exists in one scene, this problem is littered throughout The Way Way Back.

Unlike my all time favourite film The Station Agent The Way Way Back suffers from an abundance of useless characters and underwritten parts. While the former is economical with its actors (partly due to the very low-budget nature of the film) the latter has a combination of unnecessary and/or underdeveloped characters. Steve Carell’s daughter Steph being one. I still don’t really know what if anything she added to the film other than being a stereotypical bitchy American teen it isn’t enough that Duncan has to be just socially awkward, it has to be because girls his age are all bitches. And that folks is bad writing. Aside the irrelevant supporting characters is the problem of underused characters.

Aside Sam Rockwell, I am a huge Alison Janney fan, especially in comedic roles. She has proven herself time and time again that she is Comedy Queen (still deciding who could be Comedy King. Any suggestions are welcomed) and she again succeeds in stealing every scene she’s in. Especially paired with her eye line challenged son Peter (another funny yet underused presence), who despite being that stereotypical precocious kid, is actually welcomed because his precociousness is understandable and downright funny. Yet I wanted more of her. Much more. Also underused and even misused was Maya Rudolph, her responsible eye rolling strained character Caitlin giving some credibility to the notion that the wayward way in which the water park she works is run would still manage to not be shut down.

Despite all of the criticisms I have, there were still enough wonderful moments and great characters to make this still a nice viewing experience. Aside from Sam Rockwell and Alison Janney’s turns I have high praise for newcomer Liam James who perfectly encapsulates the awkward but sweet Duncan without being saccharine and most of all Stevel Carell as the extremely unlikeable Trent.

For all the missteps in the writing and characterisation, I think Steve Carell’s Trent encapsulates the strong writing ability of Faxon and Rash team. He is a selfish douche of the highest order with the biggest contempt for Duncan. A contempt perfectly demonstrated in the opening lines of the film as he cruelly denigrates Duncan’s character. What I really appreciated about this relationship and the characters’ relationship is that it doesn’t change. While Duncan changes as a-coming-of-age film requires, Trent is still a terrible person to the bitter end, the only things changing is that those around him (aside from Duncan who has always been aware of the asshole before him) get wise to that fact. It is an understated performance that only adds to my appreciation of the fantastic being that is Steve Carell.

This is a film that like The Descendants was a bit of a disappointment but unlike The Descendants there are plenty of truly great moments to make this still highly recommendable. The improv-esque flow of one liners from Rockwell’s Owen, Janney’s Betty and even Jim Rash’s Lewis kept me laughing so much that I think I may have missed a few classic lines. For that reason I can overlook it’s flaws and would definitely give it another watch.

Where can you see it?

The Way Way Back is still in cinemas across the country. DVD release date is TBD.

In A World…

I don’t have that much to say about this one. I went in cold, not having seen a trailer, read a synopsis. Nada. So it was a bit like Christmas morning, seeing the likes of Nick Offerman, Ken Marino, Rob Corddry and Lake Bell, basically the cast of Children’s Hospital (another recommendation) had come together to make a little fun feature film. And this is basically what that it is.

The film stars Lake Bell as an underachieving voice coach who is thrown the opportunity to voice the trailers of a predicted to be be hugely successful movie franchise (think The Hunger Games). Not only does this provide a huge career move for Bell but also to challenge a male dominated industry. This little quirky movie that addresses the misogyny, sexism, family, arrested development and marital dysfunction in the most lighthearted way, I came away both entertained but slightly confused.

It didn’t help that I missed the first ten minutes. However, the general jovial tone of the film sometimes took away from the gravity of certain storylines. At least unlike The Way Way Back the tone was consistent but sometimes at the detriment to subplots. Everything was wrapped so neatly and concisely that the film felt out of this world. Completely separated from reality which kind of juxtaposed the relatable human behaviours, particularly of Bell’s Carol. I didn’t mind too much because the light abstract attitude to serious subject matters is very reminiscent of Children’s Hospital. Like the TV show from which Bell hails, there is plenty of witty dialogue and interchange from interesting characters to like. Now I’ve had time to process and I’ve been reminded of all of this I can’t say I’m offended by the superficiality of the film.

To touch upon Bell, her character Carol was actually a breath of fresh air and the most relatable character in a sense. I may have mentioned my intense dislike of this new fashion film has of depicting 20 or 30 somethings as entitled overgrown selfish children (think Girls, Frances Ha, any Seth Rogen character). It’s overused characterisation that only the show Arrested Development has ever done well. Carol Bell, is in essence on of those people. But unlike the others she is grounded in reality (which is surprising for this film) she’s directionless not necessarily out of a sense of entitlement, nor out of a willing selfishness like so many of her predecessors. She’s a relatable directionless person, she’s like people I know. Genuinely nice and thoughtful who would like to get ahead but don’t necessarily know how in a world that changes the rules of the game at any turn. And she doesn’t really have the support of those close to her such as her father. She’s like the audience surrogate, navigating her way through oddball characters and situations while trying to find herself. (This view is based on missing the beginning of the film. For all I know, she could have been introduced as the anti-christ and I will be forced to eat my words.)

There were plot points that certainly intrigued me including the dynamic between Carol and her father, famed voice over artist Sam, and the strained, competitive behaviour that develops. The film cleverly explores how the pursuit of masculinity and dominance can be at the expense of the relationships you hold most dear. On a more light note, the dynamics between Carol and her sister’s husband Rob Corddry’s  Moe is really sweet and the writing extends to other characters and cameos in the film.

This is a first feature directed and written by its star Lake Bell and I think it’s a fine achievement. There are certainly parts that prove a bit to light to my taste but overall I realise that sometimes that’s exactly what one needs. I don’t know whether I was just in the mood for something like this but I found In A World… to be a fun ride. A little loose with a way too abrupt ending, but more concise than fun friend projects of say This Is The End. There are plenty of chuckles to be had, even laugh out loud moments so this is on my list of re-watches. Even if it’s at least to catch the first 15 minutes.

Where can I see it?

In A World… is on limited release in cinemas.
NEXT UP…. another African Odysseys entry with Spike Lee’s 4 Little Girls.