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The Way Back

The Way Back

Drama · 2020

A former basketball all-star, who has lost his wife and family foundation in a struggle with addiction, attempts to regain his soul and salvation by becoming the coach of a disparate ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater.

Movie details

The Way Back

“Every loss is another fight.”

2020 Drama 1h 48m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.6 / 10

Community rating

A former basketball all-star, who has lost his wife and family foundation in a struggle with addiction, attempts to regain his soul and salvation by becoming the coach of a disparate ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Way Back?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Gavin O'Connor

Written by

Brad Ingelsby

Ben Affleck

Ben Affleck

Jack Cunningham

Al Madrigal

Al Madrigal

Dan

Michaela Watkins

Michaela Watkins

Beth

Janina Gavankar

Janina Gavankar

Angela

Glynn Turman

Glynn Turman

Doc

Melvin Gregg

Melvin Gregg

Marcus Parrish

Brandon Wilson

Brandon Wilson

Brandon Durrett

Court is in session

Put The Way Back on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.