A Father’s Tribute Becomes a Path to Redemption

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MOVIE REVIEW
The Way
–

Genre: Comedy, Drama
Year Released: 2010, Ocean Avenue Entertainment Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 2h
Director(s): Emilio Estevez
Writer(s): Emilio Estevez, Jack Hitt
Cast: Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen, James Nesbitt, Tchéky Karyo, Ángela Molina, Carlos Leal, Simón Andreu, Eusebio Lázaro, Antonio Gil
Where To Watch: Available April 15, 2025. pre-order your copy here: www.oceanave.tv, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Tom Avery doesn’t set out to change his life, but the road has other plans. In THE WAY, director Emilio Estevez crafts a thoughtful story about a man caught off guard by grief and swept into a pilgrimage he never intended to make. What starts as a simple task — retrieving his son's body — evolves into something more complicated. This isn’t a grand epic or a high-stakes thriller. It’s about quiet moments, emotions, and the unexpected people who walk beside you when you think you’re alone.

At its center is a restrained but meaningful performance from Martin Sheen as Tom, who begins the film as a man of habit and distance. After learning that his son, Daniel, died on the Camino de Santiago — a historical pilgrimage route stretching across Spain — Tom leaves California with the intention of bringing him home. But somewhere between obligation and sorrow, he shifts course. He decides to walk the same path, not for closure in the traditional sense, but to connect with the son he didn’t understand.

From a narrative standpoint, the structure is deceptively simple. THE WAY doesn’t throw twists or elaborate set pieces at its audience. Instead, it leans into a road movie structure, letting its characters unfold through casual conversations, clashes, and moments of silence. The film succeeds most when it allows these interactions to breathe. Joost, Sarah, and Jack — the trio of fellow travelers Tom falls in with — aren’t painted with broad strokes. Each carries a set of motivations that initially appear trivial but reveal deeper tiers over time.

Estevez’s direction embraces the emotional and physical landscape of the Camino. The film doesn’t just use the scenery for pretty backdrops; it integrates the walk into the story's emotional arc. Every stretch of road, every detour, feels earned. The cinematography captures the shifting terrain and the quiet beauty of the journey without relying on sweeping drone shots or overt sentimentality. There’s intention behind the visual choices — how the camera lingers long enough to let viewers feel present on the trail without romanticizing the setting.

While the film largely benefits from a grounded tone, there are times when it leans toward predictability. The transformation-from-grump-to-enlightened trope plays out a bit too cleanly. You can almost sense the steps coming before they arrive, and although that doesn’t make the story ineffective, it does make it familiar. The script gestures toward complexity without always delivering it. Some character backstories are hinted at and then dropped or resolved too quickly..

Still, when the film clicks, it feels genuine. There’s something satisfying about watching flawed people move through pain together, especially when their companionship isn’t forced. The chemistry between Sheen and his fellow actors — particularly James Nesbitt as the frazzled Jack — is light and balances the heavier subject matter. These aren’t characters built for grand speeches; their humanity shows through awkward silences, petty arguments, and moments of shared laughter.

One thing THE WAY does well is illustrate grief without melodrama. Tom isn’t transformed overnight. His growth is jagged, reluctant, and often unclear — just like real grief. And in a film culture that usually demands clean arcs and tidy emotional resolutions, that’s a welcome change. This story doesn’t pretend the journey will fix anyone. It just shows what happens when people commit to walking through something instead of around it.

As for the film’s connection to Estevez and Sheen’s real-life relationship, it’s hard not to read a layer of autobiography into the casting. It’s subtle, but knowing the off-screen dynamic adds texture to their scenes. Estevez keeps his appearances minimal but purposeful, and Sheen carries the emotional weight of the film with a quiet steadiness that never tips into overstatement.

Ultimately, THE WAY is the kind of movie that finds power in understatement. It may not hit every emotional beat precisely, but earns its heartfelt moments through patience and restraint. For every line that feels too on-the-nose, a wordless scene lands with surprising weight. The path may be uneven, but it’s worth the walk — for both the characters and the audience.

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[photo courtesy of OCEAN AVENUE ENTERTAINMENT, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

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