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How entertaining? ★★★☆☆
Thought provoking? ★★☆☆☆ 9 May 2011
This a movie review of THE WAY. |
“Doesn't this guy ever stop to smell the flowers?” Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger)
Don’t get confused between THE WAY and THE FOOT FIST WAY. Both are about personal philosophy and growth, but the latter is a mock documentary following Danny McBride’s hilarious martial arts teacher. Here, almost on the other end of the spectrum, we have a picture, written, produced and directed by Emilio Estevez, about an existential crisis.
Papa Estevez, a.k.a the legend that is Martin Sheen, is Tom an anally retentive, pensive ophthalmologist who’s free spirited son dies within the first ten minutes. That son, Daniel (Emilio), had jacked in his PhD to travel The Camino de Santiago, an 800 kilometre European pilgrimage. His reasoning, “You don’t choose a life. You live one.” And that is the major problem with this film, the clunky, cringeworthy dialogue. So many times it almost threatens to capsize this otherwise charming film – the abilities of the actors (Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt, Tcheky Kario and Yorick van Wageningen) stave off disaster.
Don’t get confused between THE WAY and THE FOOT FIST WAY. Both are about personal philosophy and growth, but the latter is a mock documentary following Danny McBride’s hilarious martial arts teacher. Here, almost on the other end of the spectrum, we have a picture, written, produced and directed by Emilio Estevez, about an existential crisis.
Papa Estevez, a.k.a the legend that is Martin Sheen, is Tom an anally retentive, pensive ophthalmologist who’s free spirited son dies within the first ten minutes. That son, Daniel (Emilio), had jacked in his PhD to travel The Camino de Santiago, an 800 kilometre European pilgrimage. His reasoning, “You don’t choose a life. You live one.” And that is the major problem with this film, the clunky, cringeworthy dialogue. So many times it almost threatens to capsize this otherwise charming film – the abilities of the actors (Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt, Tcheky Kario and Yorick van Wageningen) stave off disaster.
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Daniel passes away on The Camino in an accident caused by poor weather conditions. Tom admits to them not being as close since his wife’s passing, flies over, and in his grief decides to take his son’s ashes and walk this pilgrimage together. On the journey he attracts a hodge-podge band: Joost (a Dutchman, who likes his drugs (no way!) and is doing it to lose his belly), Sarah (a Canadian aiming to give up cigarettes), and Jack (an Irishman with writers block). They all have their issues and inner woes, which feel contrived, but their energy and camaraderie win you over to them.
Eschewing the self-conscious tracking shots of BOBBY, Estevez pares the film down to just point and shoot and cut, rarely even moving the camera it feels. There is no style, and if it wasn’t for the wish-you-were-here scenery it would feel TV-movie-ish. Too journeyman for me (geddit!). Also, the music is from your sad uncle’s playlist – Alanis Morissette, David Gray, etc. I have catalogued so many faults that I still can’t believe I am won over by the thing. It doesn’t seem to work screenplay, direction and substance-wise, yet the locations and people elevate the enjoyment; and kindness, generosity and fraternity/sorority are great ideals that pervade the piece.
Like Mr. T I’m not a fan of travelling, but after seeing THE WAY a couple of times I wanted to undertake The Camino – and that’s not bad going Estevez.
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