The Way is inspired by an inspiring story. Have you ever heard of El Camino de Santiago? Well, you’re about to. Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estevez (not the crazy one) takes us on an adventurous journey that is actually real. By adding drama to the walk, there’s an overarching story but the camino is really the star of the show istelf. If you’ve every known someone to do the camino, you’re sure to hear countless stories surrounding the experience and will, sure enough, be inspired to do it yourself. This movie inspired me to want to do it and I’m sure I will one of these days.
El Camino de Santiago, or The Way of St. James, is a pilgrimage route through northwestern Spain to the cathedral in Galicia where the remains of Saint James are believed to be buried. I know that sounds very religious, but the walk doesn’t have to be and this movie only pushes religion a little bit (Martin Sheen is very Catholic). The backdrops of the walk are breathtaking and the scenery is enough for me to want to see it again. They didn’t film this in a studio back lot or in Vancouver, the whole crew went to the actual locations in Europe and shot the memorable spots where millions of people have walked before.
Martin Sheen in The Way
The story of the movie boils down to four main characters: Joost (Yorick van Wageningen) – a happy-go-lucky stereotypical Dutch man from Amsterdam (and by stereotypical, I mean he does a lot of recreational drugs), Sarah (Deborah Kara Unger) – a woman walking forward to run away from her past, Jack (James Nesbitt) – a writer with writer’s block trying to find a story along the path of the way and Tom (Martin Sheen) who is completing the walk for his late son Daniel (Emilio Estevez). They all meet on and off along the path until they all walk together in a group. They’re an odd bunch that each bring something different to the collective story. Tom is the one who holds it all together while he tries to hold himself together.
Yorick van Wageningen, Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt and Martin Sheen in The Way
The movie is a bit cheesy and just produced enough to not be a TV movie but the core values and scenery are enough to warrant this a watch on the big screen. It’s beautiful in both respects as it nourishes the eyes and the mind. If you’ve ever backpacked or wanted to, this movie depicts so many of those elements so well. You’re pretty much amongst backpackers throughout the entire film meeting strangers, sleeping in weird hostels (or refugios), and eating/drinking whatever you find cheap along the way. Other than dealing with personal problems and the touching father/son story, there aren’t any major story arcs but that’s ok because the way is a very personal journey. If you’re interested in this pilgrimage or have done it, this is a must watch otherwise, continue on your own path. Buen Camino!
Emilio Estevez sporting his bright orage jacket
Tags: Deborah Kara Unger, El Camino de Santiago, Emilio Estevez, James Nesbitt, Martin Sheen, The Way, The Way of St. James, Yorick van Wageningen
Matthew Fong created advancescreenings.com and is the lead contributor. He watches every type of movie and will try almost anything twice. You can follow him on twitter here: @matthewfong
