The Way Back (2011): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot
The Way Back is a 2011 drama directed by Peter Weir, starring Ed Harris and Colin Farrell. It is inspired by The Long Walk by Sławomir Rawicz. It runs 2 hours 13 minutes and earned $24.2 million worldwide on a $30 million budget. Critics gave it 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 13m (133 min)
- Director
- Peter Weir
- Genre
- Drama
- Original language
-
English - Studio
- Newmarket Films
- Budget
- $30M
- Inspired by
- The Long Walk by Sławomir Rawicz
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Way Back About?
The premise of The Way Back without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Jack Cunningham, a former high school basketball star, abandoned his aspirations years ago and now works a dead-end job, haunted by regret and struggling with self-doubt. When he's unexpectedly asked to coach his former high school, now struggling and far from its glory days, Jack is given a chance at redemption. He must confront painful memories and rediscover the meaning of success both on and off the court while helping a new generation of players.
The Way Back Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- summer
- water park
- shy kid
- unlikely friendship
- water slide
- teenage boy
- vacation
- awkward boy
- reference to reo speedwagon
- mother son relationship
- bicycle
- coming of age
+38 more Show fewer
- singing in a car
- teenage girl
- party
- repetition in title
- girl
- bikini
- car
- buick
- convertible
- chevrolet
- eye patch
- reference to star wars
- reference to footloose
- farewell party
- water gun
- teen movie
- boy rides girl's bicycle
- cruiser
- womanizer
- station wagon
- unfaithful boyfriend
- pac man arcade game
- life jacket
- co written and co directed by actor
- male friendship
- secret job
- teenage romance
- divorced woman single man relationship
- water park manager
- boyfriend girlfriend relationship
- candy land the board game
- implied affair
- nickname
- bare chested male
- coming of age drama
- gentle cinema
- shy boy
- shyness
The Way Back Cast
Ed Harris leads the cast, with Colin Farrell. Directed by Peter Weir.
-
Director Peter Weir
More from Peter Weir
More films directed by Peter Weir, best-rated first: The Truman Show, Black Rain, Dead Poets Society and Picnic at Hanging Rock.
The Way Back Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave The Way Back 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and 66 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.4/10.
-
IMDb 7.4 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 85% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 84%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 66 Metascore
User score 7.0
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 70% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.5 /5
66 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.9 /5
See on Movie Insider
The Way Back Plot Summary
What happens in The Way Back from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Ben Affleck masterfully embodies the complex character of Jack Cunningham, a blue-collar worker trapped in a cycle of despair and solitude. His monotonous daily life is briefly interrupted during a smoke break when he catches a whiff of freshly brewed beer from his pickup truck. In a moment of irony, he pours the beer into his coffee cup, a symbolic gesture that reveals his deep yearning for an escape from his unfulfilled existence.
As the hours pass, Jack finds refuge in a local bar, indulging in the frothy comfort of beer. The next day, remnants of his escapade linger as he stands in the shower, a beer can teetering precariously from the caddy, foreshadowing the internal chaos that lies ahead.
Full summary
The whole story of The Way Back, scene by scene
The Way Back Box Office & Budget
The Way Back grossed $24.2 million worldwide on a $30 million budget, 81% of what it cost. $2.7 million came from the US and Canada and $21.5 million (89%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$24.2M
81% of its budget back
- US & Canada
- $2.7M
- International
- $21.5M
- Budget
- $30M
The Way Back Trailers & Videos
The trailer of The Way Back.
How Well Do You Know The Way Back?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is Jack Cunningham's profession?
Cars in The Way Back
24 cars on screen, including the 2010 Jaguar XKR X150 and the 1972 Dino 246 GTS.
-
2010 Jaguar XKR X150 Main role -
1972 Dino 246 GTS Important role -
2006 Cadillac DTS Minor role -
1992 Chevrolet Suburban Minor role
The Way Back Also Known As
28 alternative titles, including “Les chemins de la liberté” and “Camino a la Libertad”.
- Also known as
-
- Les chemins de la liberté
- Camino a la Libertad
- Rumo à Liberdade
- Путь домой
- Caminho da Liberdade
- Niepokonani
- 回去的路
- 回家的路
- 归途
- 亡命千万里
- 自由之路
- 웨이 백
+16 more Show fewer
- ウェイバック -脱出6500km
- The Way Back – Der lange Weg
- Шлях додому
- Drumul de întoarcere
- The Way Back - Der lange Weg
- Útěk ze Sibiře
- Özgürlük Yolu
- 回来的路
- Út a szabadságba
- הדרך חזרה
- ウェイバック -脱出6500km-
- Бягството
- Camí a la llibertat
- Útek zo Sibíri
- แหกค่ายนรกหนีข้ามแผ่นดิน
- Tee tagasi
Seen The Way Back?
Movies Like The Way Back
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including The Way Back, The Way, Way Back and The Way.
The Way Back FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of The Way Back, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Way Back?
The Way Back runs 2 hours 13 minutes (133 minutes).
When was The Way Back released?
The Way Back was released on January 21, 2011.
Who directed The Way Back?
The Way Back was directed by Peter Weir.
More films by Peter Weir Who is in the cast of The Way Back?
The Way Back stars Ed Harris and Colin Farrell.
How much did The Way Back make at the box office?
The Way Back grossed $24.2 million worldwide ($2.7 million domestic, $21.5 million international) on a budget of $30 million.
How is The Way Back rated?
The Way Back has 7.4/10 on IMDb, 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, 66 on Metacritic and 70% on TMDB.
Does The Way Back have a post-credit scene?
No. The Way Back has no extra scene during or after the credits.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
