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Fox Searchlight has a very special offer for CliqueClack readers in Virginia Beach! The first 50 people to leave a comment will receive an Admit Two passes to a special screening if the critically acclaimed The Way, Way Back starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, AnnaSophia Robb and Liam James. The screening will take place Thursday, July 18, 7:30 PM at the AMC Lynnhaven. We will accept one comment per person/email address. Duplicates will be disqualified. Just tell us why you want to see the movie and we’ll send you a code to claim your passes. This offer will end with the 50th unique comment or at 8:00 PM, Wednesday, July 17. Winners will be notified by email. Time is running out, so leave your comments now!

Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook, or follow @CliqueClack on Twitter for alerts on future offers!

Please note: The rules state one entry per person or email address. Due to the multiple instances of duplicate entries, CliqueClack reserves the right to disqualify any entry that is suspected of being a duplicate.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiH5wmuexZY

Growing up is tough, as we’ve already learned this year from such films as The Kings of Summer, but just like that movie, there tends to be a focus on the sort of generic heterosexual middle class white boy that a lot of screenwriters and filmmakers once were — not exactly a coincidence there. As such, there’s a tendency to accept the experiences of that particular set of people as universally applicable, which is a dangerous trap. The true message of import of these artistic pieces is to tell something honest and meaningful about youth and life. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes they even all run together as the “Summer Movie of White Boy Learns Something.” But oddly enough, kids aren’t the ones who have tough times. Adults also have rough times, because life is hard. Is it any wonder that sometimes adults like to just let go and act like kids? Or what they think is “like a kid”? Adults don’t get kids, which at first seems weird because they used to be them. But life has a way of changing your perspective.

The Way, Way Back from Oscar winning screenwriters Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (who won for The Descendants) leaves you feeling pretty good, but the more you think about it, the more you wonder if there may be less there than you suspected. It’s patently enjoyable, although it’s slow to start and there is a bit of difficulty connecting to the characters at first. The film follows 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) as he goes with his mother (Toni Collette) to the Cape Cod beach house of her jerk of a boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell) and his bratty daughter. So already Duncan’s having a difficult time because Trent is truly an awful person, although he’s one of those terrible people that thinks that their crappy behavior is actually reasonable and constructive. Things get more so when Trent’s friends, an irritating couple (Rob Corddry and Amanda Peet) and summer neighbor Betty (Allison Janney) keep everything immature in their adultish way. Of course, there’s a love interest, Betty’s daughter Susanna (AnnaSophia Robb) who doesn’t exactly seem to like it there either. But it’s oddly enough not really about her. Because Duncan ends up in the “not as cool as the beach” (because he can avoid the mean girls) waterpark with a full set of eccentric characters, led by park owner Owen (Sam Rockwell). And that’s when the movie actually begins.

This is a story about a disaffected youth, like they all are. But Duncan doesn’t want to be miserable, circumstances have led that way. He begins the movie as an awkward, sullen teenager, but soon enough he begins to demonstrate actual emotions. That’s when you begin to truly care about him. This kid does great work here, seeming perfectly like a real teenager, although it’s helped by impeccable writing of his character’s dialogue, which is mostly quite limited. The movie isn’t just a drama, it’s a “drama-comedy” so you might wonder about the laughs. Most of those come from Sam Rockwell, who is great from beginning to end, managing to transcend the “adult in arrested development” cliche to something human. Sometimes the other characters seem a bit thin, although they are often amusing. The true revelation here comes from Steve Carell, who really does play a character you hate immediately from the first scene. That takes talent, ladies and gents, especially considering that he’s normally exceedingly likable. But this isn’t a movie with problems that will be solved by a punch in the face. Instead, sometimes it’s about talking it through or making tough decisions — or sometimes realizing you can’t solve them at all. It’s no coincidence that there’s a theme of the movie of the feeling of youth — at one point it’s said that the adults treat the summer vacation like they’re “on spring break.” They regress to cliches of themselves, falling into old patterns and difficulties. All while the actual kids are just trying to get there themselves.

The relationship of pure friendship between Owen and Duncan works better than anything else here. A kid needing guidance, helped by someone that is good at heart but doesn’t really have life worked out either. The romantic angle also has a slow burn and doesn’t have the primary importance of the story. So many elements of this movie have been done so many times, but it’s these character that make the movie memorable. But nothing last forever, and this movie probably won’t hold itself in memory for long. Like the North East summer, it’s there and then it’s gone. But as long as kids are still growing up, and as long as adults long for the halcyon days of old, there will be coming of age stories. So a little while longer at least.

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CliqueClack has partnered with Fox Searchlight and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer our readers in the Baltimore and DC areas free passes to see The Way, Way Back, starring Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Anna Sophia Robb and Liam James. The Way, Way Back is the funny and poignant coming of age story of 14-year-old Duncan’s (Liam James) summer vacation with his mother, Pam (Toni Collette), her overbearing boyfriend, Trent (Steve Carell), and his daughter, Steph (Zoe Levin). Having a rough time fitting in, the introverted Duncan finds an unexpected friend in gregarious Owen (Sam Rockwell), manager of the Water Wizz water park. Through his funny, clandestine friendship with Owen, Duncan slowly opens up to and begins to finally find his place in the world — all during a summer he will never forget. The film was written and directed by Oscar winners (for The Descendants) Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (Dean Pelton on Community).

To claim your two free passes, just leave us a comment stating which city you would prefer passes for. The screenings are as follows:

• Tuesday, July 2, 7:30 PM, AMC Georgetown, Washington, DC
• Tuesday, July 2, 7:30 PM, AMC White Marsh, Baltimore, MD

Passes are limited and will be distributed first come, first served. This offer can end at any time. Please note that passes do not guarantee you a seat. Advance screenings are overbooked to ensure a full house, so please plan to arrive early. CliqueClack has no control over the number of passes distributed, or the seating at the theater.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiH5wmuexZY