Usually, it goes against a film if it’s formulaic. Yet, there’s something about a well-made sports drama that keeps us coming back for more. Whether it’s boxing, basketball, mixed martial arts, soccer, or American football, the narrative always follows the same tropes we can’t get enough of.

There’s an underperforming team that has great potential but is not winning for some reason. Perhaps they’re economically disadvantaged or a minority. The team usually has a quiet athlete who could become the next superstar but can’t get over his inner demons. There’s the funny one, the flirty one, the aggressive one, and the outcast. None of them get along and are used to humiliation.

Then, comes a coach who has his own baggage. He invests his emotions in the team and slowly they start winning. Sometimes, tragedy strikes, bringing them together. We cheer them on because we like seeing the underdogs rise. Suddenly, they’re in the knockout phase, down for the count, when the star player saves the day.

This is essentially the story of The Way Back. Director Gavin O’Connor had already made a couple of well-received ones in the shape of Miracle (2004) and Warrior (2011), so was a natural fit here. What sets The Way Back apart from other generic sports films is its star, Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck delivers an authentic, intense, moving, and sometimes crushing performance in The Way Back that should earn him an Academy Award nomination

Here, Ben Affleck plays an alcoholic construction worker named Jack Cunningham who has been in a bad marriage with his wife Angela (Janina Gavankar), in part because he’s a depressed loner with a painful history.

Jack has a way out when Father Devine from his old Catholic high school asks him to take up a job as the coach of his old basketball team to replace the former coach, who had a heart attack. It’s an emotional decision for Jack because he was the team’s star athlete when younger. Of course, the team hasn’t gotten to the playoffs for decades since when Jack was a student. Here, he meets assistant coach Dan (Al Madrigal) and the team. This includes Brandon Durrett (Brandon Wilson), a talented player who has trouble coming out of his shell, and Marcus Parrish (Melvin Gregg), who is the bad boy of the group.

The sports action is shot as well as can be expected by cinematographer Eduard Grau while the video editing is an exercise in sports film action. It carries all the cuts and reaction shots designed to add emotion and drama. It’s all cookie-cutter stuff but, if you’re a sucker for these things, it works. Without giving too much away, the film subverts our expectations with a satisfying final act that throws some sports film conventions in the bin.

The Way Back stands out because of its characterisation. The backstories of the players, especially Brandon, are touching. Jack showing personal growth and reducing his dependence on alcohol as he bonds with the players is also moving.

While all the performances are good, Ben Affleck is simply outstanding. Clearly drawing from his own struggles with substance abuse, he delivers an authentic, intense, moving, and sometimes crushing performance that should earn him an Academy Award nomination. Well, if the Academy Awards still happen.

Rated R for language throughout including some sexual references

Published in Dawn, ICON, April 19th, 2020