Review: The Way

Agnostic ophthalmologist Martin Sheen receives word that his estranged son (seen in flashbacks/visions and played by Emilio Estevez) has died whilst embarking on a pilgrimage from France to Spain. Sheen travels to France to identify the body, and after having his body cremated, Sheen comes to the decision that he himself will take the trek, even using his son’s gear and backpack. A Catholic French cop (Tcheky Karyo- where has he been the last 10 years or so?) explains the spiritual nature of the trek, but warns Sheen that it might not be the best thing for someone his age. Sheen is determined, however, and heads off, scattering his son’s ashes at certain points. Along the way, he encounters other people making the pilgrimage, though the rather solitary Sheen attempts to discourage much interaction. Yorick van Wageningen plays a jovial, pot-smoking Dutchman, Deborah Kara Unger is an embittered, chain-smoking Canadian, and James Nesbitt plays an Irish writer looking to cure his writer’s block. Veteran character actor Matt Clark has a small role as an American priest abroad.

 

Written and directed by Emilio Estevez, starring his real-life father Martin, dedicated to his grandfather and apparently inspired by his son, this 2010 movie is quite obviously a very personal film for the Estevez/Sheen clan. Apparently Sheen, his grandson and Sheen’s friend actor Matt Clark went on their own pilgrimage several years earlier. I’m sure father and son had a memorable time making this movie (though they’ve worked together several times before), just as I’m sure the real-life inspiration was important to them. It’s a very small film with modest aims, but it’s heartfelt and on its chosen level enjoyable and effective.

 

Sheen is pitch-perfect in the lead (it’s his best work since “The West Wing” no doubt), and there are fine smaller turns by Yorick van Wageningen, James Nesbitt (typecast, but he’s good at it), veteran character actors Matt Clark (who directed Sheen in “Da”, where Sheen was the son returning for his dad’s funeral in Ireland), and Tcheky Karyo, and Estevez (whose directorial career goes as far back as the 1986 flop “Wisdom” and includes the more well-received “Bobby”) himself even pops up from time to time. I just wish Emilio would get in front of the camera far more often than he does behind it. He’s a much better actor than director.

 

I have no idea what in the hell has happened to Deborah Kara Unger here. Her performance is fine enough, but her extremely emaciated face and obvious cosmetic surgery combine to make her rather alarming to say the least. Certainly distracting at any rate, but maybe she lost weight on purpose for the rather strung-out character. By the way, did you know the Canadian-born Unger was partially educated at NIDA here in Australia?

 

It’s nothing brilliant, but I actually liked this film, despite my being what one could call an agnostic atheist (i.e. Someone who doesn’t believe in a religious God, but also has no idea what is or isn’t possible, nor do I feel such a question is even terribly important). Those with religious/spiritual convictions (and indeed Martin Sheen is a well-known devout Catholic) will probably respond to this film even more favourably. It’s an easy watch, and not nearly as preachy or as treacly as I was dreading.

 

Rating: B-