"The Way Back": the screen adaptation of Slavomir Rawicz's "The Long Walk"

Cafe Society
1

For years, “The Long Walk” has been on my “Why Don’t They Make a Movie of This” list so I’m rather surprised about finding out about this just now. Peter Weir has directed the screen adaptation, The Way Back, and it stars Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, and Saoirse Ronan. The Way Backwill be opening in selected cities in late December to qualify for the Oscars and will go nationwide in early 2011.

Granted, it does look like blatant Oscar-bait but the only thing that would dampen my interest in seeing this is if it received near-universal bad reviews.

Here’s the trailer.

So, does this look interesting to anybody else? Let’s discuss.

2

“fact based?” Well, anyway it’s a great story.

3

I know nothing about the story the movie is based on, but Weir is one of my favorite directors. It’s been a long wait since Master and Commander for another film from him. I’ll definitely see it when it opens near me.

4

Bumped because this movie goes into wide release today.

5

“Fact based?” I agree with Slithy Tove. The Long Walk is very loosely fact based, as Rawicz makes exaggerated claims throughout the book. Did it happen the way it’s told? No way.

6

This is playing at River East 21 in Chicago, a multiplex! I’m seeing it tonight because I don’t know how long it will be there. It may only play a week and I don’t want to miss it. I love Weir, Sturgess and Farrell, so I’m very prepared to like it a lot, “fact-based” or not.

7

I saw it today and I thought it was decent but not great. The dialogue was consistently trite, and I though the ending was very heavy-handed. Ed Harris was fantastic as always, though, and was the highlight of the movie for me.