Underdog stories and tales of redemption are at the heart of every good sports movie, and The Way Back has plenty of both. The film stars Ben Affleck in the kind of dramatic role I don’t think we’ve seen from him before, or at least not for a very long time, and is a reunion with The Accountant director Gavin O’Connor. O’Connor’s presence is especially valuable, as he’s directed two of the most powerful sports dramas in recent years: Miracle, and Warrior.
The Way Back finds Affleck as a former all-star basketball player who has lost everything, his career and his family, due to his struggles with addiction. He attempts to get a little bit of his life back by returning to his alma mater to teach a disparate, ethnically-diverse team and craft them into winners. The film also stars Janina Gavankar, Al Madrigal, and Brandon Wilson. O’Connor co-wrote the script with Out of the Furnace writer Brad Inglesby.
I don’t necessarily think he needs it, but many will see this as Affleck’s own comeback moment. Let’s see if that convinces them to buy a ticket when The Way Back opens on March 6th 2020.
