In This Movie The Way Back, Jack Cunningham, a High School basketball phenom who walked away from the game, giving up his future. Many Years later, when he reluctantly accepts a coaching job at his alma mater, Jack tries for a shot at redemption
Gavin O’Connor directed the Way Back. The man behind other inspirational sports films like miracle, or warrior. This film stars Ben Affleck and is their second collaboration, together after the accountant.
Ben Tries for A Shot at Redemption
Playing a former high school basketball player Ben Affleck, as a basketball player, lauded in his town for his talent. Still, over the years, he gave up the game. Fell into alcoholism, and now given the opportunity to come back and now coach the current terrible basketball team that he used to play on. Ben tries for a shot at redemption.
Inspirational Sports Dramas
Most Inspirational sports dramas have a formula to them; at this point, we kind of know what to expect. There’s been so many over the years, and they rarely move out of that formula there is a guy who has a checkered past of some kind he’s going to coach a team that doesn’t work well together they don’t play well together they don’t get along. Maybe along the way, they will learn something about each other, they will win some games will get excited will stand up and cheer and will clap. It will be awesome. Having you leave the theater feeling happy.
Tried and True Formula
What is a tried and true method that almost always works. It is straightforward to get excited about an underdog story, and watch somebody who is nothing, rise to prominence because they dealt with some problems they had. Then find the power within themselves to succeed.
There is a reason there are so many rocky type movies, and there is a reason most of them are surprisingly good. Because they are just fun, it is always exciting to see a film like this and one. One of the best parts of this movie, without a doubt, is Ben Affleck.
Affleck’s Best Performance
This movie is easily one of his best, and it might be his best performance. He is pulling from a lot of real-life issues, and in interviews for this movie, Ben has talked a lot about how he has struggled with alcoholism for a long time. Even though Ben Affleck is giving a very personal performance here, it does not feel showy. It doesn’t feel like look at me, I’m an actor, and I’m so good at this; he is restrained actually, and he’s without a doubt the reason to see this movie.
The Way Back Storytelling Is Not as Strong
Unfortunately, the narration is not as strong as his work. As I said, there is a formula for these movies, and we kind of know where they are going. To a point with this film, which I will get into in a second. But you cannot escape the fact that you know where everything is going for the first two acts of this movie. You are going to see a team that is not particularly good, and you are going to see a coach dealing with a lot of issues. He has an unorthodox and weird way of coaching, and people at this school find that odd, you know these are all things we have seen before.
Hollywood Movie Logic
You expect them to start winning games, and to get excited than probably be like an entertaining montage, and yes, all that is in there. But there is a point in the movie where they make some risky choices. Some very real-world options that I respected a lot. The Way Back did not use Hollywood movie logic to gloss over what could happen to somebody who is an alcoholic. In this very public situation around young people all the time.
There is a way that Hollywood could have made this movie, but they chose not to. They took a far more realistic route, And I respect that. Because of that choice, the third act was very unpredictable, and I did not know where it was going, which was weird. Usually, when you see these inspirational sports movies, you’re waiting for the big final match or the big final game or that slow-mo moment where everything comes together, and this movie goes in a different direction, and I appreciated that.
I will say that I would have liked to have seen more of a team dynamic amongst the players; you do not get to know too many of them that well. They all have things they do that are funny. One kid likes to dance even though they lose, and Another kid is flirty. You get to know the team captain the most, and even his character was not built that well, and that was disappointing to me.
Ben Affleck Centered Movie
This is a very Ben Affleck centered movie, and he rises to the occasion. The Way Back might have been better if I knew more about these characters that are on the team. Still, the way back is a pretty strong sports movie, but it’s more of a character study, I would relate it most I guess to the movie Hoosiers which is much better even still. If you have never seen Hoosiers, you really should. It is a good basketball movie. But this is still a pretty intense movie with an excellent performance from Ben Affleck.
I am going to give The Way Back a 3 out of 5 Stars
Cast
Credited cast:
Ben Affleck … Jack Cunningham
Janina Gavankar … Angela
Michaela Watkins … Beth
Hayes MacArthur … Eric
Da’Vinchi … Devon Childress
Matthew Glave … Coach Lombardo
Rachael Carpani … Diane
Todd Stashwick … Kurt
Marlene Forte … Gale
Inka Kytö … Basketball Fan
Glynn Turman … Doc
Melvin Gregg … Marcus Parrish
T.K. Carter … Russ
Lukas Gage … Eddie
Jeremy Ratchford … Matty