Finding the Way Back

UK Release Date: 10 July 2020

Certification: 15

Director: Gavin O'Connor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Janina Gavanker, Melvin Gregg, Al Madrigal, Jeremy Radin, Will Ropp, Michaela Watkins, Brandan Wilson 

Rating: 79%

"One shot for a second chance."

Review:  

Gavin O'Connor returns to sports dramas, after his success with Warrior in 2011, with Finding the Way Back. The movie explores Jack Cunningham (played phenomenally by Ben Affleck), an alcoholic struggling with depression, as he accepts a job as a basketball coach at his old school. 

However, Finding the Way Back isn't really a basketball movie - it's Ben Affleck's movie. He's incredible and it could be his best performance to date. After his retirement as the Batman, passing the baton over to Robbert Pattinson, Affleck returns. In many interviews leading up to the movie's release, Affleck said that the movie felt like a therapy to him due to his previous alcoholism and divorce. And I feel this real life experience helped both the realism of the movie's story and Affleck's performance, making it hard to watch at times. 

The supporting cast also adding to the movie's eventual feel good factor. The bond between Jack and Dan, played by Al Madrigal, was so interesting to watch. From the two becoming colleagues, to an eventual friendship due to the love for the team. The other person on Jack's coaching team, Father Mark Whelan, provides brilliant comic relief. The captain of the basketball team, Brandon, also added extra intrigue to Finding the Way Back as he has a beautiful character arc - that is wonderfully developed.

However, a generic premise and at times poor storytelling holds the movie back a little. Everything basketball related has been seen before. A coach taking over a winless team, a player storming out the team and pleading with their coach to get back on the team - both pulled straight out of Coach Carter. Although the third act cleverly switches subversion and focuses on Jack's rehabilitation. This causes the movie to become emotionally investing with a gut wrenching ending similar to Forrest Gump but not as powerful. 

As generic as they may be, I love these types of underdog sports movies - with Le Mans '66, Moneyball and Rocky being my three favourites. I do believe that Warrior is slightly better than Finding the Way Back but I very much enjoyed watching Ben Affleck return to his best.