Movie Info
Movie Info
- Director
- Emilio Estivez
- Run Time
- 2 hours and 3 minutes
- Rating
- PG-13
I know that the late film critic Edward McNulty also reviewed this movie a couple of decades ago when The Way first appeared. But, this week, ReadTheSpirit Editor David Crumm encouraged me to write a few words about The Way, since he knows I like the film and we’re both aware that a lot of people continue to set out on this trek.
In fact, it’s the cover image of my own new book, The Traveler’s Path—me walking a portion of the Camino.
“Just write a few words to let other folks know that a true Camino pilgrim has seen this movie and recommends it,” I said. “It might lead other people to see the movie again.”
And, I agreed, then I found myself writing more than “a few words.” Actually, I wrote 166 of them.
And here they are:
The Way, a 2011 release, starring Martin Sheen, and directed by Sheen’s son Emilio Estevez, is fine movie. It didn’t receive much notice at the time of its release, but it has enjoyed a comparatively long life. It’s still worth watching, especially for anyone interested in walking (or knowing more about) the Camino de Santiago.
Without giving away too much, a middle-aged California physician, whose main form of recreation seems to be golfing with his buddies, decides to walk the 500-mile path known as the Camino Frances in northern Spain. His reasons for setting out are deeply moving, but the film to its credit resists cheap sentiment. It’s a story of very real grief, friendship, growth, and more.
Beyond all of that, the film does a terrific job of depicting a Camino pilgrimage walk—with its stunning landscapes, the inevitable exhaustion of walking such a long distance, and the surprising friendships that develop along the way. And of course Sheen is nearly always enjoyable to watch.
Then, if you’d care to read Ed McNulty’s original review from 2010, here’s a link to that in the Visual Parables archive.