The Way Back is the upcoming redemptive sports drama starring Ben Affleck. He reteams with his The Accountant director Gavin O’Connor (who also directed the superb boxing drama Warrior), and the screenplay was written by Brad Ingelsby (Out of the Furnace).
The official plot synopsis is as follows:
Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) once had a life filled with promise. In high school, he was a basketball phenom with a full university scholarship, when suddenly, for reasons unknown, he walked away from the game, forfeiting his future. Now years later, Jack is spiraling down, triggered by an unspeakable loss, and drowning in the alcoholism that cost him his marriage and any hope for a better life.
When he is asked to coach the basketball team at his alma mater, which has fallen far since his glory days, he reluctantly accepts, surprising no one more than himself. As the boys start to come together as a team and win, Jack may have finally found a reason to confront the demons that have derailed him. But will it be enough to fill the void, heal the deep wounds of his past, and set him on the road to redemption?
Spoiler alert: yes. The answer is yes because that’s always (maybe not perfectly) what happens in these movies, but let’s take a look anyway:
Yes it’s sappy and predictable, with the only real question being will the team nail the last three points at the buzzer to win. But sometimes all we want is a solid feel-good drama about people overcoming their issues and/or circumstances, and that’s exactly what this is. It also reminds us that Ben Affleck is a pretty damn good actor, and one who’s carrying this movie with aplomb.
What do you think?
The Way Back is due for release in the US on 6 March. It also stars Janina Gavankar, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, Glynn Turman, Brandon Wilson, Hayes MacArthur, and Rachael Carpani.
Last Updated: November 15, 2019
Admiral Chief
November 15, 2019 at 12:15
The Mighty Ducks plot-line comes to mind