A fourteen-year-old boy named Liam James has difficulty finding his place with his mother’s new boyfriend's family and friends during a vacation at a beach house near Cape Cod. While there, he develops an unlikely connection with a man who works at a water park—basically a mentor—and befriends the neighborhood girl. Toni Collette portrays the mother, Allison Janney is a friend, and Amanda Peet appears as a woman showing some interest. "The Way Way Back," released in 2013, is a coming-of-age story that draws comparisons to films such as "The Squid and the Whale," "The Summer of ’42,” “Meatballs,” “Swimming,” and “Lawn Dogs,” but it’s possibly the strongest of those. What makes the movie work so well is that neither the potential stepfather, played by Carell, nor the mentor character, portrayed by Rockwell, are presented as simply bad or good people. They both have imperfections and seem to want what's best for the boy, though only one turns out to be a dependable father figure. The writing and acting feel very authentic. AnnaSophia Robb is appealing in her role, while Zoe Levin makes an impression as the sullen stepsister. Andria Blackman also has a memorable appearance as the girl wearing a yellow bikini. The movie’s length is one hour and forty-three minutes; it was filmed in Massachusetts, specifically in Wareham and Onset, as well as Marshfield and Duxbury. GRADE: A/A-

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