The Way, Way Back

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The Way, Way Back

PG-13

2013

1h 43m

Comedy

Drama

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Popcornmeter

83%

Tomatometer

183 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

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.

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Critics Consensus

Despite its familiar themes, The Way Way Back makes use of its talented cast, finely tuned script, and an abundance of charm to deliver a funny and satisfying coming-of-age story.

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Amy Taubin

Film Comment Magazine

08/28/2019

Sundance would not be Sundance without a few unbelievably stupid, clichéd, graceless movies in the mix.

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Wesley Morris

Grantland

01/06/2014

The film has been complacently concocted for likability even as it gives you very little that's real, structured, or spontaneous enough to enjoy.

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Thelma Adams

Yahoo! Movies

11/01/2013

If you're first act was writing the Oscar winning screenplay for "The Descendants," looking for an encore can be tough. But Nat Faxon and Jim Rash leveraged that win and made the leap to directing their own small-budget, bighearted coming of age comedy.

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Danielle Solzman

Solzy at the Movies

12/26/2023

5/5

There's just something about the way that The Way, Way Back is performed, written, and directed that sets it apart from other coming-of-age movies.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/21/2022

4.5/5

It’s refreshingly honest and surprisingly funny. There are also some fabulous characters brought to life through some good acting led by Rockwell.

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Josh Winning

Radio Times

05/13/2022

4/5

Warm and well-meaning, with a fantastic soundtrack and a poignant ending that can't help but bring a lump to the throat.

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Deb W

3d

Thoughtful, funny and a different Steve Carrell. One of my all time favorite movies.

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Alex B.

@ALEXANDRIA123 Dec 8

Great cast, great script interesting, of age movie with delightful comedic moments, as well as hardship for teenage development! Need more movies like this!!

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Stephen C

@bob25009 Dec 3

The worldwide gross is $26,474,920.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Funny in 01 hour and 43 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated PG-13 for Language, Brief Drug Material, Some Sexual Content and Thematic Elements!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Brent H

@BrentMHinson Oct 29

I watched this movie a few years ago and really enjoyed it. We were looking for something to watch as a family over the weekend, so I decided to revisit it so my wife and son could see it. There's a lot to love about "The Way, Way Back". Liam James is quite believable as "Duncan" ... an awkward teenager trying to figure out his place in the world. Sam Rockwell's character, "Owen," is the perfect counterpart to James' "Duncan." Most of the characters are also incredibly likable. Maya Rudolph, Nat Faxon, and Jim Rash stand out despite being supporting roles. It's hard not to like Steve Carell, but he manages to play his character well as the cantankerous boyfriend of Duncan's mom, played by Toni Collette. This is as close to a big-screen version of a Hallmark movie as you can get. You walk away from this film with a smile on your face, feeling good. Except for a few exceptions, the characters are likable, uplifting, and humorous. A good film if you need a laugh, a smile, or an uplifting good time.

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Russell A

@Rallen117 Sep 23

Pretty good. I don’t get how people could call Trent a villain. I wish my step dad was half as nice to me as he was. He was a little bit of a jerk sometimes but nothing villainous.

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Ed R

@JustcallmeER Aug 8

Despite its familiar themes, The Way Way Back makes use of its talented cast, finely tuned script, and an abundance of charm to deliver a funny and satisfying coming-of-age story. A very different role for Steve Carell.

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Nat Faxon

Director

Jim Rash

Director

Steve Carell

Trent

Toni Collette

Pam

Allison Janney

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AnnaSophia Robb

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Synopsis

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.

Director: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Producer: Kevin J. Walsh, Tom Rice
Screenwriter: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
Distributor: Fox Searchlight
Production Co: Odd Lot Entertainment, Doubleyou Inc., Sycamore Pictures
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Drug Material|Some Sexual Content|Thematic Elements)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 26, 2013, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 22, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.4M
Runtime: 1h 43m
Sound Mix: Dolby Digital

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