Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES III & IV • July 24, 2013 Young man learns life lessons at the water park Owen (Sam Rockwell) and Duncan (Liam James) in ‘The Way, Way Back.’ by Dennis Seuling “The Way, Way Back,” the directorial debut of Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, is the story of withdrawn 14-year- old Duncan (Liam James), who accompanies his recently divorced mother, Pam (Toni Collette), and her boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), to Trent’s summer beach house. Trent and Duncan don’t get along, so the boy is pretty much left to amuse himself. The teen sets out to explore and discovers a water park and one of its employees, Owen (Sam Rock- well), who regards his job and life with all the seriousness of an adolescent. The movie follows Duncan’s summer adventures in and outside the water park, as he becomes smitten with next- door neighbor Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) and discovers an unpleasant truth about Trent. The script, also by Faxon and Rash, is filled with color- ful characters, humor, and pathos, all blended in a perfect recipe. Coming-of-age movies are abundant, but rarely take that time of life seriously. It is easier to make charac- ters sex-crazed, out-of-control caricatures and go for easy laughs than explore what genuinely makes an adolescent tick. In “The Way, Way Back,” viewers believe these people and never doubt they could exist beyond the movie screen. James is charged with anchoring the movie, eliciting audience empathy, and making viewers believe Duncan. He succeeds. Much of his performance depends on reac- tions to what he observes and expressions revealing his state of mind. There is never a scene in which Duncan’s thoughts are not perfectly clear. Because he is a kid living with his mom, Trent, and Trent’s friends, he says little, yet feels a lot. When he starts hanging out at the water park, he gradually loosens up and begins to have fun. James handles this transformation in a way that makes the viewer want to cheer. Rockwell has been so good in so many films in charac- ter roles, and this is his best movie role in some time. Owen is funny, forthright, and, in many ways, irresponsible. But he also has heart and connects with Duncan’s inner pain. Rockwell, in flip flops, unshaven, and looking as if he par- tied too much the night before, gives a terrific performance that enlivens the movie considerably, lightening what could have been a terribly sad story. Collette, whose character is torn between the security she sees in marrying Trent and devotion to her son, is also exceptional. She frequently casts uneasy glances in Dun- can’s direction and stares at nothing in particular as she silently absorbs unsettling realizations and tries to rational- ize them. Pam is doing what she feels is best, so viewers never feel she is negligent or dismissive of Duncan, just perhaps a bit blind to his pain. As an added treat, Allison Janney is on hand as Trent’s daiquiri-swigging sister, Betty, a woman who speaks her mind, is incapable of artifice, enjoys a good time, and is not above criticizing her son, Peter (River Alexander), about being cross-eyed. Janney has made a trademark of a rapid dialogue peppered with zingers. This script gives her plenty to work with, and her Betty also contributes lighter moments to the film. Other notable performances are turned in by Maya Rudolph as Owen’s co-worker, Caitlin, Amanda Peet as casual friend Joan, and co-writer/director Jim Rash as sad- sack water park employee Lewis. It is especially gratifying that “The Way, Way Back” is in theaters at this time of the year, since it is the kind of film -- intelligent, character-driven, and free of explosions -- that usually is reserved for fall release. It is an outstand- ing alternative to the noisy, big-budget, often empty-headed flicks that will be holding local multiplexes hostage until September. Rated PG-13, “The Way, Way Back” is one of the best movies this reviewer has seen thus far this year. It is modest in its trappings -- no exotic locations, mega-stars, or spe- cial effects -- yet delivers a solid story with uniformly fine performances and thoughtful direction. It is THE movie to see this summer.