the audience applauded

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

'The Way' has plenty of appeal and the story behind it is a moving one, but it does feel like a missed opportunity. While anybody who enjoys road trip style films will probably get some pleasure out of 'The Way', it's only engaging for so long and unfortunately doesn't have the depth of plot required for a 2 hour long film.It's around the halfway point when the film really starts to run low on ideas. It becomes repetitive and dull, and in its desperation it resorts to some very unconvincing and poorly written situations. Most notably, the scene where the characters get drunk and start trading insults, which felt totally unnatural and didn't match the atmosphere of the film.

Well, what can i say? This was probably one of the best movies i have watched in the past six months and maybe even more. This is the story of a father whose son died and when he goes to take the body back home, he realizes that he wants and feels the need to complete the journey that his son started.The way the movie is developed is one where you feel like you are in the journey with Tom and the other people, so that you can understand what the characters are feeling and so that you can learn and grow with them. In fact the characters go through a lot of situations that make them change and understand each other better and better while they are in their journey, said so you can understand that there is a great character development going on in the movie.The cinematography, the quotes, the music and the plot seem to be really well thought because as i said before they let you feel like you are in the movie, and if you pay enough attention you will lean a lot as well.This, besides being a great movie, is also a really deep one. You can see that although a father might be cold or mean sometimes, he still loves you and he will do anything for you. If you let it, this movie can really help you understand more about life, in fact if you can watch it with an open heart, you might understand your self a little more and learn that it's never too late to try new things.I would totally recommend this movie to someone who wants to be entertained, see a great character development and at the same time is looking for something deep and a little emotional.

Upon learning that his estranged son died while attempting a pilgrimage in Spain, an American doctor decides to finish the pilgrimage himself, scattering his son's ashes along the way, in this drama written and directed by Emilio Estevez and starring his own father, Martin Sheen. As one might expect, Sheen is excellent in the lead role and offers a heartfelt speech when drunk, but the overall film is not as solid as his performance. Rather than let Sheen complete the journey facing any obstacles that come his way on his own a la Reese Witherspoon in 'Wild', Estevez saddles Sheen with a trio of fellow pilgrims, each of whom have their own (less enticing) reasons for making the journey. The film also tends to insert quirks (they encounter zany innkeeper at one point) as opposed to hurdles (like fatigue, shelter or hunger) to overcome, which in turn gives the film a strangely lighthearted tone. In terms of tone though, the film is most significantly marred by a constantly air of sentimentality. All the scenes in which Sheen converses with the ghost of his son are too maudlin to really click and the blaring song soundtrack is full of tunes so cloying that the grueling grittiness of making the trek never once comes through. As mentioned though, Sheen is very good and of his three companions, James Nesbitt is at least lively as an author suffering writer's block who gets inspiration from Sheen's journey.

The Way is a film about a younger man who wants to go his own way while his rich father encourages him to lead a more predictable path. For similar films, see 3 Idiots, a Bollywood gem. Emilio Estevez chooses to trek across southern France to Spain on the Camino to Santiago, an 800 km hike. Bad news happens quickly, and you soon find his father, Martin Sheen, in France taking care of family business. The part that is somewhat difficult to believe is that Sheen can go from a pretty sedentary life, to suddenly hiking 800 kms without a hitch.But it is the journey that counts, and he meets 3 interesting characters who accompany him on El Camino, The Way. It is these interactions with Joost from Holland, Jack from Ireland, and Sarah from Canada that the director Estevez weaves meaning in and out of the story. You learn about the characters, why they are doing this, what drives them, and you slowly see Martin Sheen change before your eyes as the experiences of being on the road open his eyes to more than he normally sees in his offices in California.The Way will make you cry, and laugh, and feel good about the friends you make, and have already made. It is one of those films, like It's a Wonderful Life, where you have to play with the hand you are dealt and learn to appreciate the good things and possibilities that away you on your own journey.My only critique is that the movie did run a big long at just over 2 hours. It could have easily been trimmed down 15 minutes without any loss of quality.You will really like the Way. Enjoy.