Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell Are Just Two of the Amazing Actors Who Star in This Quirky Coming-of-Age Movie

Looking for a new summer comedy to dive into? If you’re not in the mood for a long-running sitcom or a slapstick humorfest, then you should give The Way Way Back a try now that it’s available on Hulu. This poolside dramedy follows a teenage boy named Duncan (Liam James) as he navigates the worlds of divorce and beach house vacationing, all while discovering himself. But the two biggest draws here are Sam Rockwell and Steve Carell, who are featured in powerhouse performances that play to each of their strengths as actors while challenging us on screen. This is one coming-of-age story you won’t want to miss.

‘The Way Way Back’ Is Some of Sam Rockwell’s Most Underrated Work

Written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, The Way Way Back pushes young Duncan out of every comfort zone he could imagine. Having to navigate life with his mom’s new boyfriend, Trent (Carell), isn’t easy, but it all gets a little easier when he meets Owen (Rockwell), the derelict owner of a local waterpark who hires him to do random jobs throughout the summer. Over time, Duncan learns to come out of his shell, being mentored by Owen and pushed to express himself instead of hiding away and ignoring his life’s problems. He even learns to stand up for himself, reminding his mother, Pam (played by Toni Collette), that she can do the same. The picture is heartwarming, challenging, and laugh-out-loud funny, despite its muted reception. Rockwell, in particular, is a delight here, as his character too undergoes a transformation, learning to leave some of his childish ways behind and take the responsibility handed to him.

Related

The 10 Best Sam Rockwell Movies, Ranked

Justin Hammer, you will always be famous!

It’s roles like these that remind us of the true talents of Sam Rockwell. The actor has rarely been the leading man in most films he appears in, but he always knocks each new role out of the park. As Owen, Rockwell is challenged to play an emotionally stunted adult who has to teach an even more emotionally stunted teenager how to become a man. The irony is not lost upon anyone, but throughout the film, we see Rockwell’s Owen become more fatherly, more responsible. It’s this battle over responsibility — be it to his place of business, to Duncan, and his love interest Caitlin (Maya Rudolph) — that pushes Owen to push Duncan to do and be better, rising above the lesser status that Trent has placed on him. Rockwell is equal parts charming, likable, relatable, and humorous, even if he sometimes comes across as something of a man-child. It’s his chemistry with Liam James that makes The Way Way Back work, reminding us that the right cast can make or break even the best of screenplays.

Steve Carell Plays Against the Type in ‘The Way Way Back’

Conversely, Steve Carell plays entirely against his usual type here. He’s not quirky or likable or the hero at all in this story. As the chief antagonist in Ducan’s life, Trent is a bully who is also a man-child in many ways, but not the lovable kind like Owen. He doesn’t grow up, though he feigns the appearance of being a “real adult.” In reality, he’s more insecure than even Duncan, using every tactic in the book to emotionally manipulate those around him. No, Carell is nothing like his characters in The Office, Crazy, Stupid, Love, or The 40-Year-Old Virgin. A year before he shocked audiences with a meatier, dramatic role in Foxcatcher, Carell played the lines between comedy and drama (with a general emphasis on the latter) in The Way Way Back — and he’s the kind of character that is beyond easy to despise. Trent is simply the worst, but it’s Duncan’s ability to overcome his abuse that proves he’s much weaker than he seems.

The Way Way Back is a successful film because it utilizes its strong cast masterfully. Between Rockwell and Carell (the biggest heavy-hitters), Rudolph, Colette, AnnaSophia Robb, and Liam James, this 2013 gem has flown under the radar for far too long. The picture is not only cleverly written, with dynamic characters all around who keep spirits high even when our heroes are down, but directed quite well. Faxon and Rash (who previously co-wrote The Descendants alongside Alexander Payne) put together a beautiful film that speaks to the tough realities of many who have suffered from their parents’ divorce or engaged in summer beach house culture (and boy, is there a culture at play here). As Matt Goldberg wrote in his review for Collider, “They know how to tell a good joke, push the envelope without being mean-spirited, and find the right actors to deliver the comedy.” If you haven’t had the chance to catch this flick before, don’t let this summer go by before you visit The Way Way Back.

The Way Way Back is available for streaming on Hulu and Prime Video.