MovieChat Forums > The Way (2010) Discussion > This movie is WOW!

This movie is WOW!

posted 15 years ago by jendeakins
27 replies | jump to latest

I have already had the pleasure of watching the Director's Cut of this film. It is amazing! When we watched it (I want to say back in February), I was really afraid that I wasn't going to like it because I really didn't care for the very beginning. The acting seemed very "Fireproof." As the movie went on, the acting got so much better. The story is fabulous. The son dies on the 1st or 2nd day of his pilgrimage. The father goes to the country to pick the body and personal effects up. He refuses to have his son's body cremated at first, but one night he makes the decision to have the body cremated and in order to honor his son's life he decides to make the pilgrimage for him (or better yet with him because he carries his son throughout the entire journey). He begins his journey alone, but as he travels he meets people and creates bonds with them that will last a lifetime. They drive each other crazy at some points, but they realize that they need each other. The movie reminds me of the Canterbury Tales where each person comes to the journey for his or her own reason, and each has his or her own story to tell. I will stop there, but this movie had me in tears at the end. It is just such a beautiful story, and I cannot wait to watch it again. The DC was extremely long (I want to say close to 3 hours), but I hate to see them cut any of it. I wish they would hurry up and put a release date up! I'll check back to see if ya'll post any replies! Buen Camino!

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] jendeakins 15 years ago

My husband and I live near Huntington Beach, and we run into advanced screenings all of the time. This one was an advanced screening, but we didn't have to answer any questions this time. They just wanted us to watch. It was the most laid back advanced screening I have ever been to. I imagine this screening was specifically for the actors in the movie to see it in a theater setting. (I've seen several celebrities/directors when we go to the screenings.) :)

I was surprised at how funny the movie was to be honest. It is definitely a good mix of seriousness and laughter. At the beginning of the movie, it was almost like people were afraid to laugh. Once a couple of people started laughing, the whole audience loosened up.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] BobStage 15 years ago

Sounds great. This news is welcoming to a guy who's been waiting for Estevez to follow up on "Bobby" for four years.

[–] jendeakins 15 years ago

Nope I didn't get to see any of the actors. If they are there, they usually bring them in after they have seated all of the audience. I've just had a couple chance encounters because I have either gotten to the showing too late or they come out after the movie is over.

I would say that there are similar themes with Into The Wild. They are both on a journey to self discovery, but neither of them realize it. They are coming of age stories but just at different points in life. If we were seeing the son take the journey on the Camino de Santiago, I would say that the stories are very similar but at the same time there is no way that we would get the same depth if we were watching the son. The son already knows why he takes all of these travels. Tom has to understand why his son enjoys it. Another similar theme, there is more to life than money and work. Family is important and the father of this story realizes it too late to enjoy his son and so does Alexander Supertramp in Into the Wild. Both meet intriguing people along the way that shape each of their journeys. I can't really say much more than that I don't want to give away the movie. Honestly, I hate saying any movie is like another. If I see a movie at the video store that says yadda meets yadda yadda, I just put it back on the shelf. I do think that a compare and contrast of these two movies would be excellent for a film class. You definitely took me back to my many English classes in college days with that question! :)

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] BobStage 15 years ago

Maybe it'll get the chance to be released in theatres. Shouldn't be that bad, really, considering the budget is what, five million? They could make it back in pre sales like "Chloe" did.

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[–] vbfhenrmreturns 14 years ago

Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez are promoting this movie in my country and I saw it this morning. It was a nice story with great characters. I really enjoyed it.

Buen camino, yes!

6/10

[–] Allswell007 13 years ago

Now that I've seen it, I can read more without worry of spoilers. Well said.

[–] TemporaryOne-1 14 years ago

Everything you said.

The Way is simply one of the best life-affirming and faith-affirming films released in years. There's so much in this movie, people realizing that they were not the first nor last to walk the paths they walked down, people realizing they were not the first nor last to bear the burdens they bore, people realizing you can't suffer alone, you can't walk the earth alone, community is essential, faith is essential, hope is essential, suffering is essential, forgiving yourself is essential, appreciating history is essential, and appreciating that we're living in a global world. Watching The Way is to drink from the cup of spiritual and mental restoration and rebirth, it's a movie that comes, and honestly comes, full circle, beginning with fractured, despairing people grappling with various types of life-shattering and belief-shattering disappointments, but ending with people becoming whole again, people re-connecting with themselves and their faith and history and the community of people they're with and all of life around them. It's an epical mythical universal journey that unfolds organically, from the heart, a father and fellow travellers on a universal human quest for identity, renewal, and regeneration. Listen to your heart, let your heart be the compass, channel all your inner pain into the journey itself, the destination you reach will be the destination you created within yourself with every step you took during the journey, thank you Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen for The Way. Magical, inspiring, heart-wrenching, meditative, communal, and oftentimes hilarious, experience. 10/10

[–] novinajnoviji 14 years ago

I agree with all of you,this movie is great!It made huge impression on me,I didn't see anything so impressive for a long time!Great story!

[–] bj_mallory 12 years ago

TemporaryOne-1: A beautiful commentary on the film. I just watched it for the first time and I agree completely with everything you wrote. 10/10 as well in my book!

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Are you ever NOT going to fall for that??

[–] nutsberryfarm 13 years ago

as good as 'men at work'?

"It's for the pain. Rarely touch the stuff...Can I have another?"

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[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Allswell007 13 years ago

I'm in for this movie. How religious is it?

[–] BloodyNovocaine 13 years ago

Its an awesome movie....definitly a must see.....

[–] bj_mallory 12 years ago

twogunbud - I found it to be more spiritual than religious.
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Are you ever NOT going to fall for that??

[–] fozzy325-202-569814 13 years ago

I found the trailer when i was skipping through them on my Boxybox and thought i would give it a go.
It was one of the best films i have seen in the last few years.

Great

[–] czimmer564 13 years ago

I agree with Fozzy, it's the best movie I've seen in the last few years. I bought the soundtrack after I saw the movie. It's been on my playlist ever since! Can't wait for the DVD Directors Cut to be released.

[–] bormanator 13 years ago

I agree this is an excellent movie! I'm thinking about doing the pilgrimage now. I just hoped the father would 'talk' to his son more as they seemed to have grown apart. Great soundtrack too!