I recommend “The Way” for anyone looking for a light, funny, feel-good movie on a rainy Sunday. Basic no-surprise plot. Good casting buckled with very good soundtrack, humor, captivating vistas and mouth watering food scenes. And the lead character (Martin Sheen) is, like me, an acknowledged “Believer of Convenience” (Easter, Christmas) so the flick resonated with me. The 2-minute trailer captures the plot nicely.
Quick recap and highlights:
- Story: Tom (played by Martin Sheen) is a 60+ year old ophthalmologist who learns that his 40 year old estranged son dies on Pilgrimage in Northwest Spain (El Camino de Santiago). He travels to identify and retrieve his son. He decides to take two months off work after learning about the Pilgrimage. On his journey, he runs into Yost (a large, kind-hearted, funny Dutchman), Sarah (a sharp tongued French Canadian beauty) and Jack (an Irish writer). They each have their own non-religious personal reasons for making the pilgrimage yet they each exit the trek with it having left a profound impact on them. No cliffhangers on this plot – fairly straightforward – but the packaging makes it enticing.
- Music: Loved it. Including but not limited to James Taylor (“Walking Down the Country Road”); Nick Drake (“Pink Moon”); Alanis Morissette (“Thank you”) and David Gray (“My Oh My”).
- Food: What’s not to like. Simple. Fresh. Bread. Wine. Cheese. Lamb. Outside dining on wooden tables with friends. When can we leave for Spain?
- Location: Spectacular cinematography of vistas in France and N.W. Spain. This movie inspired me to add this “walk” to my bucket list.
- Source: The Netflix “algorithm” recommended this Netflix Instant movie for me @ 4.5 stars. (Noted that Amazon movie reviewers rated it 4.4 out of 5.) Netflix and Amazon were on point on the ratings.
Live & Learn 
David: I liked this post a lot. I have a house near the beginning of the “El Camino de Santiago” in the Pyrennes (www.tournoulehaut.com) and have always longed to take the journey. I think your blog has put more motivation in my desires. Want to come along?
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John, I read your comment 2 hours ago and have thought of nothing else since then. Nothing else. Can I take this much time off of work? When will there be a good time? What an amazing experience it would be? I just hit your link @ http://www.tournoulehaut.com and now I’m in a full tail spin. 🙂
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Hey guys…not trying to interject…but how cool would it be, David, to open this up to include your readers…of course, John, we would not all be staying at your house…lol.
Be encouraged!
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Laughing. Interject away Stephen. We all need a hard push here.
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Haven’t seen…will now. Thanks.
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I found it entertaining…enjoy.
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My mom was just telling me how i needed to watch this movie the other day. Think I’m gonna make it happen this afternoon. Thanks 🙂
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Terrific. Rebecca, let me know what you think…
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Watched this last night and loved it. Now I want to hike the Camino de Santiago
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The mob for the Camino de Santiago is building. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Rebecca.
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Thanks for the recommend. Your readers may be interested to know that it’s available immediately on streaming Netflix which means instant gratification. Me? I added it to my queue for later today…
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Yes, thanks for info Todd. I watched it on streaming Netflix…
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Just watched it this evening. Great recommendation. Thanks…
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Terrific. Glad you enjoyed it Todd.
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Saw the movie in the theater a few months back. I loved it.
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Thanks Maralee. Appreciate the feedback.
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I have been waiting too for this movie to get onto NetFlix. We may bring down NetFlix today as we all try to watch it at once. 🙂 From all I have heard from folks, this journey is wonderful. It is moving up my bucket list and that is before watching the movie. Also, the world would be a better place if we all took the time to, as you say, sit outdoors together and eat some bread and cheese along with some good local wine. David, we may be all following you on this trip.
– Michael
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Hi Michael. The posse is growing! 🙂
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I had been inspired by the Camino for some time – when the movie came out, I went to see it and I was hooked. So inspiring. So many options, but I know this much – I will be walking the Camino! I see from the comments that you feel the same way! I hope to do it next year, who knows, maybe I we will come across each other!
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Anita, it would be fantastic!
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Dave, recently returned from a pilgrimage – my first one – to Habana, Cuba in celebration of Cuba’s Patron Saint and the visit of Pope Benedict. While I’m not catholic, I enjoyed the experience of meeting so many “brothers and sisters in the faith” as well as the resilient and beautiful Cuban people. So this movie is definitely on my must watch list. Thanks!
– Joel
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Hi Joel. Cuban pilgrimage must have been cool. Let me know what you think of the flick…Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
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I had read reviews of this movie, “The Way”! I really believe such resources are acting as subconcious influences on me in my current WIP, many segments of which appear at my own blog. Journeys and pilgrimages lead us into very surprising and blessed places.
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Reblogged this on Wholeheartedness and commented:
Last year about this time, my blogging buddy David Kanigan posted this. I watched the movie and like most of David’s recommendations, it was well worth it. Now another blogging buddy Melanie is actually walking the Camino de Santiago and live-blogging the adventure via wordpress.com and her smartphone. She’s currently on day 6 so you can catch up easily at http://melanieslifeonline.com/category/travel/camino-de-santiago-travel/
What a cool world this internet world is!!!
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