Review: The Way Back
To say that Ben Affleck has had a fraught decade would be an understatement. When news broke that he would portray a disenfranchised man struggling with alcoholism and a broken family, it felt a little bit on the nose. Add on the fact that the vehicle for this new Affleck-starring drama is a sports movie and I was nearly out for the count.
Imagine my surprise when I found myself moved by the heartfelt performance from Affleck and fighting back tears in the third act. The Way Back isn’t a revolutionary film by any means. It follows many of the same tropes and predictable plot lines of many a sports film, but it’s a well-told story with a strong performance at the center that feels very...lived in.
Affleck plays a blue collar, former high school basketball star who is recruited by his alma mater to coach the struggling basketball team, while battling his personal demons. Affleck might be trying to achieve his own redemption through his art, but I hope people watch this film with open minds because he still has a lot to offer as an actor.