Unafraid of stillness and scenes of quiet contemplation, the film also celebrates companionship and community, which are all good reasons to embrace the experience along The Way.
The messages and meaning of The Way are not immediately apparent, because like the characters in the film, its a journey of discovery and fulfilment for each individual who views the film, religious, curiosity, tourism or just general hiking interest. This film truly has something for everyone and writer and director Emilio Estevez has did a wonderful job of persuasion and feelings of contentment.
His real life dad Martin Sheen is the leading man, Tom Avery, an eye doctor who receives the devastating news that his son Daniel (Emilio Estevez) has died while attempting the Camino de Santiago, an ancient and spiritual pilgrimage that his son going on, someone he had not been very close to for a while as he didn't agree with the life choices he made.
He initially goes to France to retrieve his sons body, but when he starts to think about how his relationship with his son was, he decides to complete the walk his didn't. Cremating him, he sets off with Daniel's ashes and sprinkles them at various parts of the 'The Way'. Tom is determined to travel along on his own but reluctantly ends up with a few others, Joost (Yorick van Wageningen), Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) and Jack (James Nesbitt). Each of these people have their reasons for doing the walk, but there is much more to them than meets the eye, much like this film.
Estevez has promoted an idea that we don't necessarily need to have our life right in front of us, but to take it as we go along, to live it. By the end of the film it isn't clear just what exactly the real and more meaningful reasons are for are four people doing the walk, thats what the aim is, discovering for yourself and being yourself. The scenery of the film is beautiful, with real life people doing the walk on screen, and showing the various situations and places that be encountered on the way.
Sheen delivers an emotion-packed portrayal of a father wishing to the right the wrongs of his relationship with his son, Nesbitt is a hyper writer looking to flare is desire for writing again, and the other two make their own discoveries of themselves that really promote what the film is all about.
Beautiful scenery and wonderful messages, combined wit ha heartfelt and personal triumph have gelled well to make this treasure of a film, not trying to be flash, but trying to show a way that you can be yourself, your choice, your life, that's what I think anyway.
I found this on Netflix Instant so I decided to end my night with this movie. It was a really good pick and I am glad I watched it. The scenery is nice and the characters really grew on me. Good ending as well. I would recommend to a friend or watch again which is the ultimate review.
Estevez keeps his touch light, with a minimum of pedantry. The Way is really a gift from this son to his father. Sheen, gradually revealing a man painfully getting reacquainted with long buried feelings, who gives the film its bruised heart.
The gentle drama offers an intriguing look at the contemporary version of an ancient ritual, and is anchored by the on-screen work of the writer-director's father, Martin Sheen. But Estevez doesn't push far enough, opting to focus on generic lessons in camaraderie and the primacy of the moment.
Essentially, The Way starts out as "Eat Pray Love" and takes a long, surprising trip toward becoming David Lynch's "The Straight Story." And that's a longer trip than a mere monthlong trek across Spain.
The Way is a good, cheap vacation. At times, you wonder if Estevez isn't creating a cracked therapeutic remake of "The Wizard of Oz.'' He's got the nerve and the heart, all right. I'm less sure about the brains.
Quite simply, one of the 10 best films of the year. Sheen and son provide a needed portrait of a man who seeks to honor his late son and discovers himself in the process.
The religious aspects of this saga glide through the film without preaching. In the end it is about the human need for community. Whatever your beliefs may be, there is deep emotion and education throughout this adventure.
The real life father and son invested in a union that few family members get to share and the reward is a gift to us all. This film never discovered a major audience, but it's elegant desire to reach beyond the self obsessed movie making of this era makes it a vital discovery.
This afternoon we went to see "The Way," All four of us found the film to be stunning. The scenery is breathtaking and the personal stories of both the protagonist and of the people he meets and travels with; and the adventures they encounter; - or generate; are wonderfully realized. It is a "road" story of the highest caliber. See it..
I wanted to really like this film. It is an admirable project underlying the actual relationship between the director and star. But it was cliched, predictable, and overly religious. The scene where Tom gets drunk is very poor and seems to be stuck in their so someplace in the 2 hour running time he gets to say how he really feels. Although I do not believe that what people say while drunk is the truth; just the **** scene with the Gypsies once again looks stuck in so we get the message; it needs to be **** the question becomes is it worth a look? It's right on the borderline between a B- and C+. The scenery is nice although there is not enough of it. The road could have been a character but it is trivialized. Plenty of loopholes: how does a man his age just do a 500 mile walk? Where are all the clothes stored? well, having read what I just wrote I can't recommend it. Nice try that falls short.
I love Martin Sheen and it is hard to be critical of him or Emelio...This is a decent effort, the film is well filmed and has a very genuine feel. However the message is simplistic and littered with clichÃs. (Witness the stock Irish writer character, played by James Hesbitt...) Some of the characterisation and some scenes are clumsey and not credible. The scenery is beautiful and this film will do a lot to promote The Camino The soundtrack was not bad but some of it jarred...Worth a look, for those looking for a little spirituality....