The Way

[yogi]

Wow I'm impressed with some of the stamina and commitment to the 100 free film club shown in Manchester tonight.

I was of the people who wimped out just after 6.30.

Glad the film was good, I didn't know much about it, but thought 2 hours in the company of Martin Sheen can't be bad.

[TheDude]

I liked this right from that symbolic first scene - someone having their eyes tested! Nothing like a bit of travel to open your eyes to the world, and man I've got the travel bug (again!). I love hiking so can see myself doing the "Camino" some day. Very sweet, touching film, inspiring but also a little depressing in places, could have done to be a little shorter too. I liked a lot of the music chosen (except that annoying Alanis Morissette song, ugh). James Nesbitt's character was a little over the top but I didn't mind too much, the Dutchman Joost was funny, I also liked the father of the gypsy thief, he had a lot of presence, and Martin Sheen was great as you might expect. The scenes with him and Estevez were particularly moving. Very good overall.. 8/10.

[prettyxcool]

Really enjoyed this. Better than I expected. Full of warmth and humanity, mixed with good humour. The story is simple but beautifully told. A journey not just about getting from A to B, but also the chance encounters along the way, and the personal journey of each character, although in parts it did plod along and made the film feel longer than it actually is. Thought some of the characters are a bit stereotyped - yes, James Nesbitt got on my nerves too. Martin Sheen was good though as the father trying to understand his son better. Must be strange for Emilio to direct his father's reactions to his death. The location was stunning, makes me want to go there, although I felt the characters in the film did not seem to appreciate the beauty, but just wanted to get to the end of the journey. 8/10

Lovely to see so many FMUKers tonight, every time one of you past by and waved, the people sitting next to me thought I knew everyone!

[trickydicky123]

Saw this at a strangely populated Liverpool Odeon last night! Me and the OH arrived just after 6 and took up prime central seats, I went for a Geoff Hurst and came back to find the missus surrounded by what appeared to be a church outing! Spookily they all knew each other as well!!
Anyway, onto the film. This was an oasis in a desert of mediocrity I've recently witnessed (the appalling Killing Bono, Arthur and Whisky for Elephants) There was humour, emotion, depression, beauty, inspiration (It's called acting Reese and Rob, something only the elephant possessed in your film!)
There were a couple of slight criticisms, and I'd give it an 8/10, but it's rare you get perfection in a film...............that's reserved for Spinal Tap and Tin Drum, they both go up to 11

[Beate]

Lovely to see so many FMUKers tonight, every time one of you past by and waved, the people sitting next to me thought I knew everyone!

But you do...

[hdaniel82]

Whisky for Elephants

[ejwrank]

Well we are obviously in the minority but husband and I both hated this. We thought it was so sentimental to the point of total nauseating schmaltz and the script was awful. What a wasted opportunity when you have Martin Sheen to star. And we're not just talking West Wing Martin Sheen (though he was superb there) but we remember back to Apocalypse Now days. And it was so contrived with the added cast -- the crazy lady from Canada, aging Dutch hippie and the awful James Nesbitt (now who would believe he could be the intellectual of the group?). No it was a wasted two hours of film but we were happy to see so many FMUKers and thanks to Beate and OH for pointing out two seats in front of them. Hope we were OK people to sit behind and didn't fidget. OH greeted us with "Come and sit here -- we like to have our friends all round us!" which was very kind. And thanks to Cliveas for the free book for World Book Day. Now we just need some time to read it with all the free screenings this week.

[Beate]

You were the perfect people to have sitting in front, ejwrank!

OH thought it was great, I wasn't all that convinced but didn't hate it as such. It was just way too long and I didn't feel for any of the characters apart from Martin Sheen. The Canadian women's make up looked like she had dirt on her face at first! Very peculiar.

[hdaniel82]

Who is that actress that played the Canadian chick? She looked like a plastic surgery skeleton with skin stretched across her face!

Deborah Kara Unger. Probably best known for Crash (Cronenberg) and The Game. Yes she did look a bit odd.

Ohhhhhhh the Game, that's where I recognised her from. Man she has NOT aged well!

[tarantinoed]

This wasn't "The Way", this was "The Way Too Long", especially if you have lots of wrinklies behind you who insist on talking through the film and at the end shuffle out so slowly that the loo queue is a mile long by the time you get there.

Yes, maybe it's just my prejudices and I'll now upset people but to me Telegraph suscribers do tend to look rather old, self-satisfied and well-off (and if they are youngish - even more self-satisfied)!