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The Way Way Back

The Way Way Back

Comedy · Drama · 2013

Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.

Movie details

The Way Way Back

“We've all been there.”

2013 Comedy · Drama 1h 43m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

Shy 14-year-old Duncan goes on summer vacation with his mother, her overbearing boyfriend, and her boyfriend's daughter. Having a rough time fitting in, Duncan finds an unexpected friend in Owen, manager of the Water Wizz water park.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Way Way Back?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Jim Rash · Nat Faxon

Written by

Nat Faxon · Jim Rash

Liam James

Liam James

Duncan

Steve Carell

Steve Carell

Trent Ramsey

Toni Collette

Toni Collette

Pam

AnnaSophia Robb

AnnaSophia Robb

Susanna Thompson

Sam Rockwell

Sam Rockwell

Owen

Allison Janney

Allison Janney

Betty Thompson

Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph

Caitlyn

Court is in session

Put The Way Way Back on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.