The Way Back

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9558
Global Ranking

Wins 49%
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Every loss is another fight.

Directed By Gavin O'Connor Starring Ben Affleck • Al Madrigal • Michaela Watkins • Janina Gavankar • Glynn Turman Genres Addiction Drama • Drama • Sports Drama Release Info 2020-03-05T00:00:00Z March 5, 2020
Color • 108 minutes R Rated R see more films from 2020 ► see more about this film on our blog ►

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The Kid Who Would Be King vs. The Way Back

AlgorithmJMO said on 1/5/2022

"The Way Back over The Kid Who Would Be King for my 33,933rd ranking" more ►

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Comments (4)

Eagleskywalker87 on 3/9/2020 Reply · Like · (1 like)

Fantastic and realistic film that's sadly not getting the attention it deserves!

1 person liked this √

UberLives on 3/10/2020 Reply · Like · (2 likes)

The movie’s main message: Life sucks but if you can get ten guys to play good basketball and distract yourself then it sucks a little less. That’s about it. While technically true, it hardly makes for a particularly entertaining movie. It certainly misses any marks as a motivational tale. The film presents drunken numbness and broken lives but does NOT explore finding resolve or meaning of any kind. It ignores religion and faith based themes even though Affleck’s character went to and now coaches at a Catholic school. It glosses over family bonds and any depth in any way. The basketball scenes are sound as were the performances. Dank and soulless however, just like the movie itself.

2 people liked this √

Eagleskywalker87 on 3/10/2020 Reply · Like · (2 likes)

I think you missed the point. He's a drunk and miserable and then takes up coaching. As he coaches, he rediscovers a meaning in his life through something he used to love. As the movie goes on, we learn more about why he is the way he is. The writers hide these things from the audience like how he surpasses them himself. He distracts himself, true. On one hand that's not healthy. But he finds meaning in helping others, something he was unwilling to do earlier. The motivational tale is how his life is more of a wavelength of happiness and sadness and the movie doesn't resolve this- like how life is uncertain and goes on after a particular stage ends (his particular stage being this film). It's very bittersweet in the sense that he tries to rediscover happiness but who knows. He might have another relaspe. Rather than glossing over family ties, we see most of the movie from his perspective. Someone who shuts out his family. Towards the end, not only do we see more of his family but we learn that his true impact on everyone happens after he has left. Like in real life how we don't normally see the impact of who we've touched. This movie isn't soulless, but real and honest.

2 people liked this √

aSfSteve on 11/8/2020 Reply · Like · (0 likes)

I think I'm going to have to side with UberLives here... The movie was fine, good performances, Affleck plays a fairly convincing drunk. I was entertained for the first two acts but the last twenty minutes of the movie was unnecessary. If you are going to go on for another twenty minutes after the final game, show some resolve. It was like Brad Ingelsby followed a dummies guide to writing a screenplay and then added twenty five minutes of who-cares in an attempt to cover it up.

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The Way Back (2020)

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