READ MORE- Colin Farrell’s role in ‘The Way Back’ one of his least favorite
READ MORE- Saoirse Ronan stuns crowds at ‘The Way Back’ premiere
Irish duo Colin Farrell and Saoirse Ronan’s latest film ‘This Way Back’ has been described by critics as brilliant and wildly under-appreciated.
The film is on limited release for Oscar purposes and is not generally available in the U.S. yet but has opened overseas
The New Republic has called it ‘the Best Film of 2010” and noted ….”in this astonishing story of a 4,000-mile journey as some prisoners escaped from the gulag in Siberia and walked to India, the stress is not just on the terrible times and the exhausting ordeal. It is also a film that says this is
a miraculous world, and the people in it are no less amazing. That view is not fashionable, I suppose, and so the best movie of 2010 is being badly neglected.”
The Guardian Newspaper noted that The Way Back is “a robustly made picture, heartfelt, well executed with an exhilarating sense of reach and narrative ambition.”
Peter Weir’s film tells the harsh story of survival and personal compromises made along the way. It follows a group of prisoners who escape from the gulag in Siberia in 1940 and attempt to make the 4,000 mile trek to India.
Farrell plays Valka, one of the soldiers who manages to escape. Ronan plays Irena, a young Polish woman who the escaped prisoners meet along the way. The only female protaganist, she manages to lift the men’s spirits as she joins them on their journey.
The film is based on the book by Slavomir Rawicz, The Long Walk: The True Story of a trek to Freedom. The book became an international best seller before research by the BBC revealed that Rawicz had in-fact been released from the gulag in 1942.
Shot on location in Bulgaria, Morocco and Indie, Weir takes the audience on a rare journey concluding in the foothills of India.
Weir is best known for his work in films including "Master and Commander", "The Truman Show" and "Fearless", “Dead Poets Society” and “Witness”.
“The Way Back” goes on general U.S. release on January 21.
5 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.sabaroock | Jan 01, 2011, 12:07 AM EST
great stuff
forflann | Dec 31, 2010, 09:01 PM EST
dr. T. Your right about Farrell part, but you can see in one trailer Sturgis' charactor in a military uniform, someone shoves a pen and paper at him. "Sign the confession" Whether or not Rawicz really experianced the trek or not, Slavomir was a Polish army officer. Read the book in one day, the tale was so gripping. Thanks to Irish central for doing a piece on the book. I don't know if we have read the same reviews. Only time will tell how the film fares in general release, as Hollywood doesn't care about art, only the bottom line. At any rate UP the Irish! slan
Searlit | Dec 31, 2010, 04:43 PM EST
I love stories about people who overcome great adversity, and Colin Farrell is as good as they get. Can't wait to see it!
DrTrelawney | Dec 31, 2010, 02:12 PM EST
The film did not get "rave reviews" overseas or anywhere else. It got pretty indifferent reviews. Even The Guardian review quoted above only stretched to three stars. Also Farrell does NOT play a soldier. He plays a petty criminal. In fact, to my knowledge, NONE of the escapees is a soldier. Methinks the author hasn't seen the film. Also, I don't know who exactly has "big Oscar hopes" for Farrell and Ronan. They haven't a chance.
forflann | Dec 31, 2010, 12:03 PM EST
This dramatic tale has rave reviews over-seas, unfortunately that's not much help in the very political venue of Hollywood. The most money spent on promotion usually decides winners, not the best performances. It would be great if for a change the Academy put that aside and gave the Irish and English [Sturgis] their blessing!!!