The Way Way Back ***

The Way Way Back is a charming coming-of-age story that does everything such a film should do: I laughed, I shed a tear (or seven), and I cheered and felt like I sat on the edge of my seat in the final moments, genuinely unsure of the outcome in the “challenge” toward the end. The cast worked well together—even with Steve Carell as such an ass (and how interesting to see the perky Amanda Peet as less-than-lovable (pay attention to her; the issues are so in-your-face-foreshadowed, it’s heartbreaking to realize Duncan’s mother took so long to catch on)). Granted, the movie is formulaic; after all, it did everything it was supposed to. But that’s all I suspected from the film: to be charmed. Predictable, sure. But charmed, I was. And that made for a nice night at the movies.