The Way Back

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2:13

The Way Back

R

2020

1h 48m

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

84%

Tomatometer

216 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Verified Ratings

Jack Cunningham was a high school basketball superstar who suddenly walked away from the game for unknown reasons. Years later, he's now stuck in a meaningless job and struggling with alcoholism -- the very thing that ruined his marriage and his hope for a better life. But Jack soon gets a shot at redemption when he becomes the basketball coach for his alma mater, a program that has fallen on hard times since his teenage glory days.

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Critics Consensus

The Way Back's occasionally frustrating treatment of a formulaic story is often outweighed by Ben Affleck's outstanding work in the central role.

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Stephanie Zacharek

TIME Magazine

02/03/2021

Affleck carries the movie both in his muscles and in his subtle shifts of expression.

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David Sims

The Atlantic

02/03/2021

The Way Back features the rawest and most natural performance Affleck has given in his career.

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Adam Nayman

The Ringer

02/03/2021

The bristly, embittered drunk is a borderline melodramatic cliché, but Affleck imbues it with a lived-in intelligence...

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Yasser Medina

Cinefilia

Jan 24

6/10

It's a well-intentioned sports drama about guilt and redemption, which benefits from a restrained performance by Ben Affleck, but whose narrative sometimes stumbles over generic formulas. [Full review in Spanish]

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David Griffiths

Subculture Entertainment

10/29/2024

3/5

I really got the feeling throughout the film that with Affleck in this kind of form this film could have Oscar-winner written all over it if only a few minor re-writes had occurred in order to make me care more about some of the characters at hand.

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Manuel São Bento

MSB Reviews (Ghost.io)

07/24/2023

B

The Way Back is an inspirational sports drama that follows the genre’s stereotypes and formulaic storytelling, but it’s still very successful in its execution. Ben Affleck is reason enough to give Gavin O’Connor’s flick a go.

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Kimberly J

04/25/2021

Excellent Redemptive

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Nancy P

10/11/2020

The whole movie was great and Ben was outstanding!

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Chris P

08/23/2020

It was a great movie. About how a person was down and out and an opportunity Changed his life.

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06/11/2020

#TheWayBack #MovieReview: 8.5/10 Pros: Ben. Affleck. Surprisingly comedic Emotionally moving Beautiful direction and cinematography Doesn't overstay it's welcome Treats characters with respect Cons: Small pacing issues VERY familiar story Ending could've expanded more

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R L

05/28/2020

Great unbelievable mission for a rookie soldier in the middle of a terrible war. Unexpected developments along the way. Great acting and a great story.

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PCain

05/25/2020

Old theme and predictable storyline. Stream it.

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Gavin O'Connor

Director

Ben Affleck

Jack Cunningham

Al Madrigal

Dan

Janina Gavankar

Angela

Jeremy Radin

Father Mark Whelan

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The Way Back: Trailer 2

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The Way Back: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Jack Cunningham was a high school basketball superstar who suddenly walked away from the game for unknown reasons. Years later, he's now stuck in a meaningless job and struggling with alcoholism -- the very thing that ruined his marriage and his hope for a better life. But Jack soon gets a shot at redemption when he becomes the basketball coach for his alma mater, a program that has fallen on hard times since his teenage glory days.

Director: Gavin O'Connor
Producer: Gordon Gray, Jennifer Todd, Gavin O'Connor, Ravi Mehta
Screenwriter: Brad Ingelsby
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
Production Co: Mayhem Pictures, Creative Wealth Media Finance, BRON Studios
Rating: R (Some Sexual References|Language Throughout)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 6, 2020, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 6, 2020
Runtime: 1h 48m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)