The Way Back: Understanding The Protagonist's Journey

The Way Back stars Ben Affleck as Jack Cunningham, an alcoholic who agrees to become a high school basketball coach to a losing team. This isn't a new type of narrative. The protagonist starts off in a low place, then gets something good in their life. Once they feel they are on top, some sort of tragedy or mishap occurs and the protagonist truly hits rock bottom. Then finally the protagonist redeems themself fully and wholeheartedly to come out on top and a changed person. So where does The Way Back fall short of this narrative structure?

The movie starts out like a typical redemption story. It shows Ben Affleck working construction and drinking all the time. He has a tense relationship with his sister and her family. There is an ex wife that he is not on the best of terms with. There’s an event the happened that causes him to drink. He gets offered the basketball coaching job and initially refuses but does it anyway. Then the montage of him coaching and getting to know the team starts.

It’s about an hour into the movie and it seems Ben affleck stops drinking one day with ease. It seems everything is going great for Ben and the team. But there doesn't seem to be the rock bottom moment that the protagonist goes through to be redeemed. There’s about twenty minutes left in the movie and then the rock bottom moment happens. Then the redemption arc is rushed and doesn’t feel as meaningful. The rock bottom moment should happen halfway in the movie that way there is enough time to fully redeem the protagonist.

There is a character setup to be an opposition for Ben. He is the dad of the best player on the team and refuses to come to the basketball games. In these types of movies this character is a major conflict throughout but when Ben goes to their house and confronts him he gives a valid reason for not going to the games and later comes to the winning game out of nowhere. While Ben Affleck gives an amazing performance the flawed narrative really makes the ending less meaningful and fulfilling for Ben's redemption. There is just something missing that makes this a truly great movie. 🍔🍔