The Way Back

Yesterday, I did the family shopping, ironing, and I made dinner. This time I made pork chops with chutney and mashed potatoes and green beans. It was delicious. I also managed to stop by the Redbox and pick up some movies. I got Never Say Never for my siblings and ended up being witness to a majority of it as I ironed and made dinner. After dinner I was able to escape and watch the movie I had selected for myself: The Way Back. I had seen the advertisements all over in France earlier this year - and I just wanted to see it as the title in French is something more like: The Trails of Liberty. So I finally saw the movie that had been plastered on the side of my 262A bus and on the post just outside my school.



The premise of the story is based on the Gulag system in Communist USSR. Jim Sturgess's character, Janusz, is a Polish man (part of the military) that is imprisoned after the USSR invades Poland during World War II. He is tortured but refuses to admit to being a spy and taking part in sabotage plots. When he does not comply, they torture his wife into confessing to his "crimes" of sabotage and spying. This lands him in a Gulag in Siberia. It doesn't take long for him to realize that he must attempt to escape: if he dies trying, then at least he will die a free man. Several people from the camp join him in the escape and the begin their journey South towards Mongolia. They lose and gain people along their journey - and find that they most continue on when they discover that Mongolia has fallen into the hands of Communism. Janusz is compelled to continue on because he wants to get home to his wife - he must get back to her because he knows how difficult it will be for her to forgive herself after she was tortured into confessing to crimes that he had not committed.

Since I had only really seen the posters in French, I had no idea what the movie would even be about - I was pleasantly surprised to find that it covered the topic of Gulags. I was in a Russian history class a while back and I was extremely shocked to learn about the things the Soviet Union did to it's own people. I love Jim Sturgess (it's his 33rd Birthday tomorrow - I can't believe he's 33!) and Colin Farrell - so this movie was great. And people who know me automatically know that I think the two are extremely sexy; however, it was hard to think people with rotting teeth, severe sunburn, dehydration, and all over ickiness as gorgeous. I do have to say that the character that Jim Sturgess played, was just incredibly powerful. He was so inspiring and driven by what he wanted that he led a group of people some 4,000 miles - through Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet and across the Himalayas into India. Ed Harris was brilliant and just amazing. He's still very cowboy and was the only person (not already Eastern European) who didn't have to fake an Eastern European accent. The girl who played Briony, Saoirse Ronan, is a nice addition of femininity to the all male cast. She adds a softness and an all around gentleness to the group. Colin Farrell was good at being a jerk and criminal - it was interesting to have his opinion of communism thrown into the mix. The other guys who are on the journey also do an amazing job. They were all so good in their roles that I didn't mind watching the lengthy movie and the documentary of "The Journey of the Journey" after a long and exhausting day. It was a very moving story about determination, kindness, and forgiveness. I was very beautifully done and the scenery was amazing. I have to say - the ending was a little tacky. The feet walking across Soviet history was appalling. Almost like someone didn't really know how to show that passing of time so they just slapped that together and said - ok, it's done. Still - a great movie worth a watch or two or more :D