Way Way Back, The

Nat Faxon / US, 2013

Bittersweet comedy about the fourteen-year old outsider Duncan whose summer vacation runs far from smoothly. This humorous coming of age film is packed with nostalgia for the magical time of adolescence with all of its attendant confusions and perplexities. With Toni Collette and Steve Carell.

The Way Way Back, which recalls the great coming of age films of the 1980s, tells the story of fourteen-year-old Duncan who has to spend the summer holidays with his mother, her arrogant boyfriend and his daughter. Duncan has a hard time trying to fit in with this chaotic menagerie until he finds an unlikely ally and coach in Owen, an untroubled manager at the local holiday park where Duncan manages to find a job. As the summer progresses and his mother is becoming increasingly aloof, Duncan – encouraged by Owen – begins to open up. With great humor the debuting directors portray Duncan finding his way in the world in all his vulnerability, aided by a talented cast, a well-balanced script, and a great deal of charm.