The Way Back, written by Brad Ingelsby and Gavin O’Connor - Eight out of 10

The Way Back, written by Brad Ingelsby and Gavin O’Connor

Eight out of 10

Critics have been mostly positive about this motion picture and they have appreciated Ben Affleck in particular, who has been though similar predications, has faced the traumatic experiences that the main character in the film has to cope with, in his struggle to find The Way Back and end his addiction, stop cursing, see the meaning of life, the light at the end of the tunnel, after the catastrophe that just about ended his life – he is on many levels dead and just going through the motions, for most of the time we could argue – when his son died…

It is thus a movie about depression, struggling, finding if possible the vitality, courage, grit, resilience, strength to move ahead, cope with trauma and perhaps helping others is the way out…this is the opportunity offered to the isolated, grieving, hard drinking Jack Cunningham aka Ben Affleck, a former basketball star, who is now invited to be the coach of a struggling team and though he does not seem to want this, there is some hope…

This scene which takes place near the beginning is also humorous, for when he gets the call, he walks to the refrigerator that is filled with…beer and though he concocts a speech in which he refuses the offer, stating that is too busy, we can see that he is occupied with getting inebriated mostly and this would be a state we will see him in quite often during the feature…just like we understand that the actor has had his share of problems with various addictions, in his private life…

Being the coach has some challenges, which is exactly what the struggling man needs – indeed, a classic of psychology, Flow by the outstanding co- founder of Positive Psychology Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi explains that one thing we need to be in The Zone, attain maximum satisfaction and wellbeing, also called Flow, is to introduce more Challenges in our lives, for this is when we reach Zenith, when we are challenged, not when sitting on a coach, in front of the television…

Alas, this coach may not cope with the demands of his position, though he does have success in turning around a group of teenagers who are too spoiled, too quarrelsome and self-absorbed – just as all are and we all have been perhaps – to pay much attention, but once he gets involved, Jack Cunningham makes a difference.

He is also engaged in this new endeavor and that is also part of, or perhaps the main problem, seeing as he keeps saying bulshit, horse shit, damn and other expletives that are against the policies of his former alma mater and he collides with the priest who is part of the team and eventually, with the one who had hired him…

Although this is not the best film of the year – we may have to reconsider that, seeing as this pandemic has put a stop to so much activity, including launching new motion pictures, like the latest James Bond feature, and film making, who knows, maybe this will be the best there is at the end of the year, when it will have competed against 10 other releases – there are clear merits here and if you listen to critics, this is well worth weatching…