The Way, Way, Back. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash may seem like goofy familiar sitcom faces (Faxon on the canceled Ben and Kate, Rash a regular on Community) but they have fast become the secret weapons of bittersweet comedy in Hollywood. Together with Alexander Payne, they won an Oscar writing the George Clooney movie The Descendants, and now write (and direct) The Way, Way Back. Once again they tackle the complexities of youth, but Way Back’s heart elevates it above trite rom-coms or revenge fantasies of the John Hughes variety.
Duncan (Liam James) is at a dicey age even if he weren’t forced to spend a stressful summer with his mom’s new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell), a manipulative bully bent on humiliating Duncan. He finds relief in a free-spirited hippie (Sam Rockwell, pictured above right with James), who hires him to work at a waterpark. From there, Duncan comes into his own even without excessively mawkish moments.
Following a brilliantly uncomfortable station wagon confrontation with Carell, the film kicks off with huge laughs, courtesy a breathless monologue by Allison Janney that sets the tone for the level of humor; it never abates, save character-driven emotional moments. Rash and Faxon have supporting roles — Rash is especially funny as nebbishy towel jockey who is the son of two gay dads — but this is an ensemble piece where everyone shines. Adults will recognize slivers of their own family vacations in the awkward silences and stolen kisses.
Four stars
Despicable Me 2. An animated film that ends with a character dressed as the leather daddy from The Village People singing “YMCA” is not to be dismissed out-of-hand, even if most of the kids in the audience won’t get the innuendo. But the second Steve Carell movie to open this week (see above) also rests on parent-child relationships for its dramatic impetus.
Despicable Me 2 is even more misnamed than its predecessor, as the “villain,” Gru (Carell) is an old softy bent not on world domination but responsible parenting, but you can’t fault it for having a winsome appeal. The animation is distinctive, the gags clever and the plot? … Well, the gags are clever. That’s enough.
Two-and-a-half stars
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition July 5, 2013.