Jack is an alcoholic. He drinks at work. He drinks while driving. He drinks after work. He drinks in the shower. Like most alcoholics, he denies he is one. And also like most alcoholics, it doesn’t matter how he got there. No, not really. The reason it doesn’t matter is we see exactly what the film sees – a man who has a drinking problem. While everything can be explained away in a generous arc of human kindness, Jack’s alcoholism in the present affects the people who come into contact with him. That matters.
Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck) was a basketball prodigy once upon a time. He was an all-American bound for a full ride at Kansas when his career derailed. Now, the high school where he became a local legend, Bishop Hayes, has asked him to return -no questions asked- to steer a coachless team. This is one of those amazing situations I don’t doubt happens, but makes no real world sense … “Hey, you! Once upon a time, we thought you a hero. I know we haven’t kept in touch, but how about taking a job you aren’t qualified for that requires you work closely with minors. That sound good?” As I say, I do not doubt this happens in real life, but … should it?
So here’s the deal: Jack swears his way through the Catholic b-ball league teaching a group of massive underachievers how to achieve a little. And, whaddayaknow? Jack may suck at everything else in his life, but he does know basketball; he’s like a drunk “White Shadow.” Questions remain: Can Jack turn around a failing team mid-season and salvage something worth taking pride in? How long can Jack keep up the façade that he isn’t endangering the kids with his drinking? Can he teach his star player Brandon (Brandon Wilson) how to lead without following the miserable life example Jack set? And how can an undersized team with no bench and no conditioning possibly keep up a full-court press for an entire basketball game?
I was worried that The Way Back would splurge in the field of White Saviorism. While it did lead the league in said category, the White Savior was saving himself more than the kids. Also, this film had an a-typical screenplay in which, essentially Act II swapped with Act III. In this way, the film let us know that Jack’s drinking problems don’t just “magically disappear” because his team won a few games. Honestly? That made me feel much better about The Way Back than I would have normally.
Ben Affleck looks darn good for a middle-aged raging alcoholic. His gut doesn’t protrude. His skin isn’t sallow. His posture hasn’t Leaning Tower-ed yet. This is one of those instances in which a method actor probably would have been preferred. Yeah, it’s easier to hide substance abuse on a 6’4” frame, but if you’ve been hitting the bars every day for more than a year, it’s gonna show. I would respect Affleck more if he’d gained, say, at least 20-30 lbs. for this role.
The Way Back has the benefit of being both uplifting and realistic, which is an odd combination. The film believes in redemption, but also believes that redemption has to be earned, for which the film deserves praise. OTOH, the film never asks who exactly deserves a chance at redemption. One can’t help but notice that the Bishop Hayes players are mostly black, not unlike the NBA itself, which is 76% black. And the raging alcoholic given a chance to make something of his life is white. The NBA has eight (8) black coaches for thirty (30) franchises. That’s 26%. Again, this pattern is fitting percentage-wise, so the film is more honest than it isn’t, but does a film like this need to be that honest? What do you think of Tyler Perry or Cuba Gooding Jr. in the lead role? You see, the sheer volume of stories of black men who are unfulfilled basketball prodigies in the United States is far greater than the number of stories about similar white men. On top of that, the black men, economically speaking, are likelier to have shittier lives in the aftermath. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed and appreciated The Way Back on a few levels, but I can’t help wondering if the film shouldn’t have starred Ray Allen.
There once was a man named Jack
For drinking, he had quite the knack
In case you forgot
The direction to Sot
Don’t worry, he knows The Way Back
Rated R, 108 Minutes
Director: Gavin O’Connor
Writer: Brad Ingelsby
Genre: The hurdles of a white savior
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Those who believe in redemption
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Those not wild about racial politics
