'I can't stop thinking about it': This is a common statement shared by audiences upon seeing this beautiful film from O-region. The deceptively simple narrative of 'Long Way Back' charts a pivotal road trip between a father and daughter. The filmmaker's handling of this relationship is a masterclass in restraint on multiple levels: the narrative tension of what is, and is not, spoken aloud; the slow burn reveal of character and plot; the casts' nuanced and natural performances; Adam Laity's stunning cinematography that juxtaposes intimate close-ups with stark natural landscapes framing endless asphalt roads... this is a meditative road movie that reveals an emotional heart that incrementally pulls focus in a manner that is so subtle it is almost imperceptible, like the transition of daylight to dusk- sometimes we can't acknowledge the absence of the sun until it is too dark to find the way home.
The term 'character driven' has never felt so apt, as David's (Tristan Sturrock) roguish, yet likable protagonist struggles to get from points
A to B. His tense relationship with his whip-smart daughter, Lea (Chloe Endean), will be relatable to anyone who has tried to bridge or heal an emotional divide with a loved one when the gulf seems insurmountable. Their witty, barbed banter is layered with years of emotional memory and texture, providing plenty of laughs that break the tension as writer/director Brett Harvey manages the various tonal shifts with aplomb.
The story opens in mystery, when David is called upon to prematurely evacuate his daughter and all her belongings from her university accommodation for reasons unknown. There is an unspoken sense that both characters have struggled to belong, and that they are more alike than either of them would like to admit, as they both struggle to process the changes on the open road ahead. The cast,
led by Endean and Sturrock, are excellent (Esther Hall also has a small but stunning turn) as is the haunting and moving score by Matthew Thomason.
There is a palpable sense of loss that permeates the film. David romanticizes his youth whilst failing to recognize how little he has grown. Lea's staunch disapproval of her old man's ways seems to fall on deaf ears, but as the film progresses, we realize David is perhaps far more aware of his proclivities than we thought, which lends a hidden depth and emotional through-line that at times surprises, often amuses and even devastates. It is a powerful experience to share a character's inner life as they look in a mirror and truly see themselves. These characters feel truthful and lived in, and it's worth it to take the trip with them at the cinema. 'Long Way Back' is ultimately a hopeful journey that posits the message behind one of David's favorite lyrics, that despite our past sins or lack of answers, 'maybe it's time to live'.
