Let’s hit the trail for an offbeat version of the old movie standby, the road picture. The new film directed by actor Emilio Estevez , THE WAY, veers sharply from classics like IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, and PLANES,TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES in that this film chronicles a journey that’s entirely on foot. It concerns a fictional group of characters undertaking the real pilgrimage called “El camino de Santiago” that hundreds embark on every year. In a twist on the old adage in that it’s all about the journey and the destination
Martin Sheen plays Tom, a widowed California optometrist who is estranged from his son Daniel ( played by real life son Emilio Estevez ). David has abandoned his college degree in order to explore the world. Tom’s receptionist tells him that Daniel called,but didn’t leave a number ( and he has no cellphone ). On a golf outing Tom gets the call that all parents dread. A French police captain informs him that Daniel was caught in a storm while hiking and has died. Tom jets to Europe to ID the body and make arrangements. The Captain tells Tom that David had just begun the walking pilgrimage, El camino de Santiago, which begins in France and ends at a cathedral in Spain. The next day Tom tells the officer that he will finish Daniel’s journey. The captain warns him of the dangers an untrained man in his sixties would face on this long hike. But Tom is determined and using his son’s backpack and supplies he joins the trail. Along the way he encounters three other pilgrims who become his traveling companions. First off is Joost ( Yorick Van Wageningen ) from Holland ( “If it ain’t Dutch,it ain’t much!” ), a friendly gregarious man who says that’s he’s walking to lose weight , but still overindulges in the local cuisine. Then they meet Sarah ( Deborah Kara Unger ) , a hardened American divorcee who hopes the walk will help her quit chain-smoking. The last member of the group is Jack ( James Nesbitt ) , a burned out Irish writer who wants to research a book about the whole trek. Along the way the four encounter nutty hostel proprietors, gypsies, and other travelers while opening up and becoming good friends.
Estevez has assembled a great group of actor for his father to work with in this spiritual travelogue. Wageningen is very entertaining as the party animal who eventually reveals the pain beneath the chatty, ursine exterior. A big screen welcome back to Unger as the tough Sarah. She throws up a formidable wall upon meeting Tom, but soon becomes the maternal heart of this group. Hopefully this film will be a transition from the femme fatale roles from her past ( CRASH, THE GAME ). Nesbitt make the blustery writer an endearing outsider who begins to warm up to the group over the course of the miles. All of them support the heart of THE WAY, Martin Sheen as the father who chooses an unusual way to deal with his grief. He’s determined that nobody else should know about his loss. He finally learns that these new friends can help him cope with his loss. Sheen has spent much of the last few years on the small screen ( THE DEPARTED was a rare screen appearance during his ” West Wing” stint ), so it’s great tos see him heading a film again. His flashback scene with Emilio really crackles ( unfortunately Estevez just pops up as a silent ghost that only Sheen can see along the road ). The scenery is lovely, but the movie would benefit from a shorter running time. By the conclusion I’d felt like I’d made the arduous hike. The length doesn’t detract from the beautiful, inspiring scenes inside the cathedral. If you’re looking for a European getaway and a chance to recharge your spiritual batteries than THE WAY may be the cinematic vacation for you. And you don’t need to pick up a new pair of comfy boots or a big sack of Euros.
Overall Rating: Three Out of Five Stars
