Every now and again, I need to watch a good movie that DOESN'T have superheroes in it. It's difficult, though, while I remain an incredible Dorkasaurus Rex and surround myself constantly with other breeds of nerdling. Movies that fall outside the ridiculous high-octane action realm of Superherovania tend to slip by without much notice. Thankfully, I've got friends who are pretty into cinema and like things OTHER than men in spandex.
Thus, The Way, Way Back, a movie I'd never heard of until the moment I walked in the theater door.
- What's the movie like? Well, it's sort of a cross between Juno and The Sandlot. If that appeals to you, then this is a movie you should DEFINITELY see.
- I don't really know who this awkward kid du jour is. His name's Liam James. He's a good 'un. Hope to see more of him.
- Don't be fooled: Even though he gets top billing, Steve Carell is NOT the star of the film. Instead, he plays... someone's creepy dad. It's hard not to see Michael Scott in his performance, but he manages to create a different kind of awkward. He's very effective.
- There are a few "Hey I know that guy!" moments. My favorite has to be Allison Janney. I haven't really seen her since The West Wing, and she's got a high energy character that you both love and hate every time she's on screen.
- There are a lot of swimsuits in this movie. Now, maybe the budget wasn't Scrooge McDucky enough to hire supermodels as extras or whatever, but there are a lot of body types in bikinis that you don't normally see in bikinis. Strangely, I found it kinda refreshing - more "realistic," more "all-inclusive."
- That said, there are enough lingering shots on girls in bikinis that it got just a little awkward. I guess I just think it's creepy to ogle teenagers in swimsuits. Sorry if that's weird.
- If there's a moral to the story, it's that adults are jerks, and kids are vapid. Long live eccentric man-children!
- Seriously, guys, the parents in this movie are THE. WORST. PEOPLE.
- Just a warning - there is a character here who could be considered a Manic Pixie Dream Girl. I know some of y'all probably don't like that. But, to be fair, the plot really focuses more on a Manic Pixie Dream Man-child.
- Eccentric man-children are the best.
- The whole movie's got this artsy, conventionality-be-darned feel to it, like what you'd see in Juno and 500 Days of Summer. It scratches a very similar itch.
- Verdict: Recommended, especially as a lemon-flavored palate-cleanser after too many summer blockbusters.
3 comments:
That first paragraph is probably one of my favorite's you've written. Hilarious and full of delightful halfway made-up words. Love.
xox
This was my pick for the Sundance Film Festival (Rob picked Austenland). I loved it. We met the director, Jim Rash, and talked with him for a little while. Super energetic and happy about his film. I love films that just make you feel like it is summer and that life gets better and people do change and make a difference in even the littlest of ways. And there were some great characters, although some terrible ones. Anyhoo...glad you liked it too!
Dorkasaurus Rex. Superherovania. spandex.
My love for you knows no bounds. Consider this movie on the 'to see' list.
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