The Way Way Back!!!!

The Way Way Back.

What has to be one of the years best summertime movies; emotion, teenage angst, growing up, being accepted and a dysfunctional family all feature in this film and come together to make something special. Starting off in a car journey Duncan (Liam James) is talking to his mums boyrfriend Trent (Steve Carell) about what Duncan would rate himself on scale of one to ten, Duncan says he's a six but Trent says he is a three and says its because he doesn't go out or put himself "out there". 

As the family, Duncan's mum Pam (Toni Collette), Trent's daughter Steph (Zoe Levin) pull up to Trent's holiday home it is evident that Duncan doesn't want to be there and isn't going to enjoy it. Soon enough the neighbours turn up, mum Betty (Allison Janney), daughter Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and her son Peter (River Alexander) all welcome the family with open arms.

The holiday is of course more for the adults as it is for the kids, as the family meets up with old friends of Trent's Kipp (Rob Corddry) and Joan (Amanda Peet) they regress back to their teenage years by staying up late drinking, smoking pot and going skinny dipping in the sea. But for Duncan this is just not his thing as he is left to fend for himself and entertain himself while his parents have their "spring break". Deciding to take a pink bike out for a ride he finds a local water park and meets the owner Owen (Sam Rockwell) who strike up a funny relationship. 

Soon enough Duncan is offered a job at the water park which will change his life like he never thought would be possible. Gaining people experience and finally enjoying the time away from his family he starts to come out of his shell more and makes some great friends in the process. Plucking up the courage to talk to Susanna a great friendship is made as Duncan shows her around the water park and is able to be himself for the first time around her. 

As the little quips, in jokes and sarcasm come thick and fast on screen it makes for a really enjoyable film and really does make you smile from scene to scene. As you see Duncan come to life at the water park you get to see his personal development and the relationship he has with his mother and her very stern authoritarian boyfriend Trent. As he finally gets his courage he has to soon enough leave the water park as summer is coming to an end and say goodbye to his new found friends. 

It's rare for a film with so many characters with a small runtime to really let the characters come across but they do. Smaller characters like Lewis (Jim Rash) and Caitlin (Maya Rudolph) get the chance to shine and show their back story and bring in some great one liners and comedy moments as well. The storyline is one that is sweet and can be awkward to watch on screen especially between Duncan and Trent it's a situation family members all go through at some point. 

On a holiday that he didn't want to be a part of Duncan learns more about life, friendships and his own future than he would have ever thought. And along the way he also meets some great friends, has some great fun at a water park and has some great laughs. What more could you want in life.

9/10.