The Way

I watched this on DVD the other day and thought it was a really good film to recommend. “The Way” is about an older man, estranged from his nearly 40 year old son who discovers that his son has died whilst overseas. The man, Tom, travels overseas to identify and collect the body and he discovers that his son was embarking on a journey called the "El camino de Santiago", otherwise known as “The Way of Saint James” – a pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Tom decides on the spur of the moment to walk the pilgrimage in son’s place, taking his son's ashes with him and leaving traces of them as he travels the route through Spain. The journey has a deep and profound impact on Tom as he shares experiences with the people he meets along the way.

 

The film was released in 2010 and was written, produced and directed by Emilio Estevez. Estevez also has an important cameo as the deceased son and the lead role of Tom is played by his real-life father, famous actor Martin Sheen. I’d recommend checking this one out if you get a chance – it as one of those films that I wasn’t expecting too much from but was highly impressed and pleasantly surprised with what was delivered. If nothing else it’s worth checking out for the wonderful scenery of the French/Spanish countryside and the poignantly written and sensitive direction of the film. Enjoy!