Ben Affleck's latest sports drama, The Way Back, went through a title change for a very interesting reason. The Oscar-winning actor re-teamed with director Gavin O'Connor after working with him on The Accountant in 2016. Their latest collaboration might be fictional but it eerily parallels Affleck's struggles with alcoholism.
Affleck stars in The Way Back as Jack Cunningham, a former star basketball player who once turned down a scholarship to play for the University of Kansas. He's now a construction worker and a struggling alcoholic, always wondering what could have been. Jack is then recruited to coach his alma mater's basketball team, giving him a chance to face his demons while leading a group of young men in the hopes they won't make the same mistakes he did.
The Way Back first went into production in mid-2018. When Brad Ingelsby penned the script, the title of the drama was The Has-Been. The original title stuck until the direction of the movie started to change so a year later, Warner Bros. announced that the film was changed to The Way Back. O'Connor believed The Has-Been might have negative connotations as it seems to focus on someone's past without any hope for the future. The Way Back, however, links to the notion of looking forward and reinventing one's self. The title change goes even deeper than that since it connects directly to the actor in the spotlight.
The Way Back's Narrative Mirrors Affleck's Real-Life Struggles
The former Batman star has been outspoken about the struggles with addiction and mental illness within his family. Affleck himself has had a drinking problem since he was a teenager. He has struggled with sobriety over the past few decades, something that has affected his family and career. Affleck sought treatment prior to joining The Way Back but experienced a few missteps since then. With his involvement in the film, Affleck is acknowledging his addiction and owning his past mistakes.
The PR team for The Way Back is also taking a meta-approach to Affleck and the film's narrative. By promoting the movie, Affleck is subsequently given more outlets to share his push for sobriety and good health. The movie's revised title gives the project, as well as Affleck's life, a sense of positivity. There's no question that the man in the lead is fighting something serious, but it's focusing on this person overcoming their past to find some kind of peace. Both Affleck and his movie counterpart have clear motivations but the journey is just as important as the outcome.
The Way Back isn't expected to be a box office juggernaut but it has the interesting pull of an actor who is familiar with the anguish felt by his character. This was clearly a passion project for Affleck with a raw sense of truth. It may not be remembered as Affleck's best movie role but it will certainly be recognized as his most truthful.