Review of The Way Way Back

THE WAY,WAY BACK (2013) *** Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, Liam James, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, River Alexander, Zoe Levin, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash. Summer vacation coming-of-age comedy with mopey teen James forced to stay with his mom and her jerk boyfriend for the season and makes the most of it by discovering a new life at the local water park. With a fine ensemble cast (including writers/novice-directing team Faxon and Rash) the film coasts on its breezy screenplay and fun field day run by Rockwell (getting in touch with his inner Bill Murray/Walter Matthau) as the slacker employee who befriends the kid but the tenuous tension by the abrasive miscasting of Carell sinks the possibility of a dramedy (or even a real moment of James getting even with the jerk stepfather-wannabe). Echoes of "The Flamingo Kid", "Meatballs" and "Adventureland".