The Way Back
Gavin O'Connor 's sports drama centers on Jack Cunningham ( Ben Affleck ), a former basketball player whose life descends into drunkenness and construction work when he turns down a scholarship. Jack's routine consists of drinking and being accompanied home by his friend Doc as he copes with personal loss and being apart from his wife, Angela. Jack first denies Father Devine's offer of a coaching post at his former high school but ultimately accepts. The movie departs from a conventional story of salvation by emphasizing the intricacies of addiction and the idea that long-standing problems cannot be solved by outward accomplishment. The movie functions on two levels: the well-known underdog sports story , in which Jack combines defensive ferocity and creative strategy to turn a squad of six uninspired guys into contenders, and the far more horrific addiction drama that defies easy resolution. The film's greatest strength and occasional cause of annoyance are both t...
