The Way (2010)

At a time in my life when I have been growing quite cynical about the future of cinema and film making, 3 movies this year have worked to restore my faith in our ability to make great movies, and I hope they portend a glimpse into the future of this, my favorite art form.

In recent months, I've been treated to not just one, but three deeply moving film treats. 127 Hours, The Kings Speech, and this movie, "The Way" which is my favorite of all. These movies are all powerful and dense in content and emotion, without the use of gratuitous sex or violence. They are adult, real, frank, and thought provoking, without being twisted or gross.

These are three completely different movies, from three different directors, and with very different subject matter. Their only common thread is that they are simply good. Very good. Films like these are the reason I fell in love with the movies so very many years ago. The one which zeroed in on my individual heart though, even among these three great films, was "The Way".

There are plenty of great reviews here about the specifics of the film, and I encourage you to read enough of them to pump you up to see it, but don't try to find out too much about the movie. How it unfolds, etc.. The movie itself can be a mini pilgrimage. Just go, knowing you will enjoy it more than Twilight Part X, and let your self be vulnerable to this beautiful movie.

This film is a chance for you to have a 2 hour mini-pilgrimage of your own. To reflect on your own journey in life, whatever form that it taking. To suffer, die, and be reborn in a brief afternoon at your local multiplex, and to give a knowing smile, and wink from time to time, and to laugh as well. In short, this masterpiece by Emilio Estevez takes you skillfully through all the stages that happen on real pilgrimage. It's brilliant on every level. It's writing cuts straight to the heart. The editing is perfect, the cinematography gorgeous, and the characters are extraordinarily real, whether they make you cringe, or want to give them a hug, or both, (which is usually the case with not only these characters, but all the real people we meet in our lives). This is us in miniature. All of us. Captured by a master craftsman.

I'll actually be hurt, if the academy doesn't recognize this truly amazing film. I'm not sure if it fits the typical Oscar M.O., but if it doesn't, then the academy is blind. I want this film to do very well, in all regards. It's what we need in Hollywood. It's time. We've done enough of the same old thing to last us a life time. How about a steady stream of gems, and genuine works of personal love, such as this being offered on many more screens, than CGI sterility and vampire soap operas.

This is one to savor, and let it have it's way with you emotionally. There was literally not a dry eye in the (sadly underpopulated) theater my wife and I went to. One of only two screens in this city of hundreds, to be showing the best movie out right now, hands down.

Fmovies: Estevez has created an emotional heartfelt journey. On the surface, the film is about a father's desperate attempt to come to terms with his son's death. But it's also about the spiritual journey we all must take in our lives and the inner demons we battle. The film is simply shot, which gives it a sense of realism. The performances are all solid and suitably understated. The continually unfolding cast of characters fit into the story like puzzle pieces that you didn't realize were missing until that moment. By the end of the movie I felt as if I had experienced the Camino with them. The script is poignant without being preachy, funny without being crude. The Way is well worth seeing.

This carefully written road movie drama was directed by Emilio Estevez, who used traditional footage, and laid out the story over a compelling soundtrack with artists such as Tyler Bates, James Taylor and Nick Drake. In brief, we're following Martin Sheen's character Tom during his pilgrimage journey whilst mourning his dead son who died on the same pilgrim route after only one day. Tom meets people along the way who also become his friends, although Tom himself is uninviting. In contrast to the other characters Tom develops throughout the film and goes through the various stages of mourning that come with a great loss such as he suffered. Except from the usual message that people spend too little time reflecting over their life's I think "The Way" makes a good job of describing the strong bond between father and son, and at the same time highlight some problems with that relationship. Some scenes are obviously there to hammer in those two messages and the film would have been even better had they been made more subtle. I do recommend watching this film, and I think it shows that Emilio Estevez' directing skills don't just pertain to "Bobby".

The Way fmovies. I've been anticipating The Way for about two and a half years for the wrong reason - I wanted to see Emilio Estevez back on the screen. The last formal film he appeared in was Rated X with his brother Charlie Sheen in 2000. Finally we see Emilio's talents not only behind the camera, but in writing as well. He handles the screenplay, the directing, and the producing in this beautifully crafted film.

You can tell just from the close-to-home feel of the character The Way is something sentimental and meaningful to both Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez. Both real life father and son actors have been taking most of their time in 2011 and using it to promote a film with heart and soul, but will likely be ignored when in theaters because of its very limited release and its minimal marketing.

The story focuses on Tom (Sheen), an American doctor, who goes to France after hearing his adventure-seeking son Daniel (Estevez) has died in a storm while hiking the Camino de Santiago - a famed Christian route many walk on to find faith or go to Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela at the end of the five-hundred mile route.

After arriving in France to pick up Daniel's ashes, Tom makes a split-second decision that he will follow hike the path of his son, while spreading his ashes throughout the trail. He meets up with many different people with many different stories. They are Joost (Wageningen), a Dutchman who is hiking the trail for exercise purposes, Sarah (Unger) who is trying to quit smoking, and "Jack from Ireland" (Nesbitt) who is suffering from writer's block and is trying to collect information about fellow hikers and their separate journeys.

The Way has a number of strange qualities - for one it has noticeable parallels to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz. And two, it is odd for Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, two actors that practice in strict Catholicism, to focus on a film that leads to a Christian Cathedral. Whatever the reason behind it, the story is pitch-perfect and Martin Sheen may have just given one of the best performances of his career.

The tears come and go in The Way, but so do the shocker scenes like when the topic of abortion is briefly mentioned. It is rare for such a film to bring up a controversial topic, which is why The Way deserves a load of credit.

The plot isn't too deep, but the story is truly moving. The acting by the four characters is fantastic, and like any road movie, it is more about the characters getting to find their inner-selves rather than walking from point a to point b. Only here - it is more welcomed because of the fact that is what the Camino de Santiago is all about.

Starring: Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt, Yorick van Wageningen, and Emilio Estevez. Directed by: Emilio Estevez.

Like most road movies, this is as much about the characters' inward journey as it is about getting from A to B. At times it is too sentimental for my taste and some of the encounters seem rather artificial. But it has considerable warmth, humanity and good humour.

I saw this at the BFI in London at a screening attended by Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen. They are very proud of their film and it obviously means a lot to them, as father and son. They came across as intelligent and socially aware people, which was great to see.

During the discussion, a member of the audience pointed out the parallels with "The Wizard of Oz", something which I confess escaped me while the film was on but seemed perfectly obvious when I heard it. So watch out for that if you see the movie, and also look out for a cameo by Matt Clark, veteran character actor and, apparently, good friend of MArtin Sheen.

Everyone has their own, personal reason for choosing to walk the real 500 mile Camino de Santiago. This is a trail which begins in France, winds its way through the French Pyrenees, across northern Spain's Basque region, and ends in Galicia at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Legend says St. James is buried here. Every year, thousands of 'pilgrims' make this arduous trek which can take months to accomplish. However, don't let the word pilgrim fool you; many people undertake this quest for non-religious reasons.

In fact, four such folk are the main characters in The Way. Tom (Martin Sheen) is a native Californian eye doctor who spends as much time on the links as he does at the office. He receives an unexpected phone call from a French policeman informing him his son Daniel (Emilio Estevez) died in southern France in a major storm. Tom flies out to France to collect his body and learns about the pilgrimage Daniel was just starting out on.

Tom and Daniel did not have the best parting one would like to have the last time you are going to see your son. Tom thought Daniel was wasting his life on these silly adventures while Daniel responded with the platitude, "You don't choose your life, you experience it." In a moment of remorse and homage, Tom decides to walk the 500 miles for Daniel with his cremated remains spreading his ashes along the way.

Quickly, he is joined by fellow pilgrims each with their own reasons for taking a few months out of their lives to backpack across Spain. There is the Dutchman Joost (Yorick van Wageningen) who is walking the trail to lose weight for his brother's wedding. Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) is a chain smoking Canadian who vows to drop the habit once she reaches the cathedral and Jack (James Nesbitt) is an Irishman convinced the trail will finally crack his writer's block. Initially, Tom does not particularly want their company because he is suffering from some severe guilt and remorse about Daniel. This leads to the film's low point of a drunken rage against pilgrims and his walking mates. Fortunately, once this ridiculous and needless scene is over, the rest of The Way is a very enjoyable movie to watch.

The Way was shot with only available light, sunlight during the day and candles and fire at night which lends it a great deal of authenticity. Other than the main characters, everyone else on screen are actual pilgrims walking the trail to the cathedral. There is a scene later on with real Roma (Gypsies). Since the Camino de Santiago means a great deal to many people, especially those in northern Spain, you can really see how writer/director Emilio Estevez took his time to do this right.

It is refreshing to see Emilio pop his head up once again for some work. I last saw him when he directed 2006's Bobby and since then it appears he has only directed a couple episodes of Numb3rs. Perhaps he is always waiting for some real inspiration to use as his next project. He mentioned The Way came about from his father and his son's experience on the trail. I wonder if the character Jack is a model for Emilio since the first draft of this screenplay took six months to write. Furthermore, it is about time Martin Sheen showed up in a good movie again. Recently, he has had some bit parts in throw away movies such as Love Happens and Imagine That and hasn't truly had quality work since The Departed.

The Way won't win any awards; however, it is so positive and perhaps intentionally persuasive that I