
Starring: Ben Affleck, Janina Gavankar, Al Madrigal, Brandon Wilson, Hayes MacArthur, Rachael Carpani
OUR RATING: ★★★½
Story:
Sports drama directed and co-written by Gavin O’Connor. The story follows Jack Cunningham (Ben Affleck), a former basketball all-star struggling with alcoholism that cost him his marriage and any hope for a better life. When he is asked to coach the basketball team of a disparate high school basketball team at his alma mater, days, he reluctantly accepts. As the team starts to come together to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. But will it be enough to set him on the road to redemption?
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Our Favorite Quotes:
'Sometimes a smart play is not the right play.' - Jack (The Way Back) Click To Tweet 'We can't change the past. What we can do is choose how we move forward.' - Therapist (The Way Back) Click To Tweet 'I hope that one day you can see in me the man that you once hoped I would be.' - Jack (The Way Back) Click To Tweet
Best Quotes
[after the Thanksgiving dinner with his mom, sister, Bath and her family]
Beth: What’s going on with you? What’s new?
Jack: Not much.
Beth: Are you seeing anybody?
Jack: No.
Beth: I wish you would. I really do. I would feel much better. I hate the idea of you down there by yourself all the time.
Jack: What do you hate about it so much?
Beth: That you’re just, you know, like alone. Just drinking all the time, and not…
Jack: I’m fine. I appreciate it. But it’s, I’m fine.
[referring to his wife, who’s he’s separated from]
Beth: I know that Ang worries about you, so.
Jack: What does Ang have to do with it? Why do you know what Ang would worry about?
Beth: Because she called, and she wanted to see how you were doing.
Jack: She called you?
Beth: Yeah.
Jack: Why?
Beth: Is that okay?
Jack: I don’t know. I mean, what, she called you to talk about me? Why didn’t she just call me directly?
Beth: She just wanted to see how you’re doing.
Jack: Well, I’m fine.
[leaving Angie a voice message]
Jack: I wanted to call you, see how you’re doing. And also because my sister told me that you had called her, and wanted to know how I was doing. I’m just saying, if you want to know, in the future, how I’m doing, you can call me. As I still have the same phone number that I had when we were married.
[after Jack receives a call from Father Devine from Bishop Hayes high school and meets him]
Father Edward Devine: We need a new coach, Jack. You’re the first person I thought of.
[Jack is silent]
Father Edward Devine: Try to suppress your enthusiasm.
Jack: No, I appreciate it. I just, it’s, um, you know, it’s just, I’ve been away from the game for a long time.
Father Edward Devine: I understand. I understand.
Jack: You know, I’ve never even coached before. I just played.
[referring to the Bishop Hayes basketball team]
Jack: I mean, is the team any good?
Father Edward Devine: No. No. We haven’t been competitive for quite a while actually. In fact, the last time they made the playoffs? Back when you were playing.
Jack: Wow.
Jack: Well, I really appreciate you thinking of me, Father. It’s just, I…
Father Edward Devine: Go home and think it over, Jack.
Jack: Well, I got a lot going on in my life right now. It’s very busy.
Father Edward Devine: Go home, think it over. Call me with your decision in the morning.
Jack: Tomorrow morning?
Father Edward Devine: Our next game is Monday night, Jack. I don’t have a lot of time.
[Jack is drinking beer in his apartment and practicing how to say no to Father Divine’s offer]
Jack: Not going to happen. What the f**ck am I supposed to do? The team can’t play. They’re no good. They’re no good. I can’t wave a magic wand, turn them into f**cking Michael Jordan.
[after drinking a whole case of beer and getting drunk as he practices his speech to Father Divine]
Jack: Father, I’ve given it a lot of thought. I just have no interest in coaching your f**cking basketball team. That’s all there is to it.
[after Jack accepts the job and meets the assistant coach, Dan]
Jack: This the whole team? Ten kids?
Dan: That’s all we got. A lot different than when you played here, huh?
Jack: Yeah. No sh*t. We got a hundred kids just try out.
Dan: Hundred and four my senior year.
[referring to the school]
Jack: Play ball here?
Dan: Well, not like you. Spent most of my time on the bench, holding a clipboard like I am now. I was a couple of years behind you. Uh, class of ’98. Enrollment’s really taken a dive since then.
[referrring to the Bishop Hayes team]
Jack: You guys must get murdered on the boards.
Dan: Yeah, it’s not been good at all.
[introducing Jack to the team]
Dan: Alright, guys. As discussed, I am honored to turn things over to your new head coach, Jack Cunningham.
Team: What’s up, Coach?
Jack: How you doing, guys?
Team: Good. Good.
Marcus Parrish: What’s up, Coach?
Jack: You’re Marcus, right?
Marcus Parrish: That’s right. Get used to calling my name too.
[referring to the bleachers]
Jack: Marcus, tell me what you see out there.
Marcus Parrish: Um, I see Nikki’s fine a** keep looking at me. Saw she was bending over. She trying to get my attention.
Dan: Marcus, just be respectful, please.
Marcus Parrish: He asked me what I saw. What, do you want me to lie to him?
[referring to the bleachers]
Jack: You know what I see, Marcus?
Marcus Parrish: What?
Jack: You’re the tallest player on the team.
Marcus Parrish: Oh.
Jack: Makes me wonder why you’re putting three-pointers up every time you come down the court.
Marcus Parrish: Oh, that’s because I got a candy-stroke, Coach. Ask Coach Dan. I made the most threes on the team last year.
Jack: Coach Dan, how many threes did Marcus make last year?
Dan: Um, Marcus made thirty-four.
Jack: Out of how many attempts?
Dan: Out of one-hundred and three.
Jack: What’s that a percentage of?
Dan: A percentage of twenty-six.
Team: Damn!
Jack: Twenty-six percent, Marcus.
Jack: You want to know why they’re leaving you open? It’s because they don’t think you could hit the ocean from the beach.
Chubbs Hendricks: Oh, sh*t. Yoh, he just spit facts at your a**, bro.
Marcus Parrish: Man, shut up.
Chubbs Hendricks: Look here, come on, man. Don’t get all butt-hurt just because he dropping some knowledge on you.
Marcus Parrish: You want to see butt-hurt? Keep talking sh*t, watch me beat your fat a**.
Chubbs Hendricks: Shut the f**ck up, yo. You ain’t going to do sh*t.
Jack: Hey. I don’t need any help.
Jack: Who is second in threes on the team?
Dan: Number two would be Kenny with twenty-five.
Jack: Out of how many attempts?
Dan: Sixty-one.
Jack: Percentage of?
Dan: Forty-one.
Kenny Dawes: Snap. You hear that? Give me the rock, let me go HAM on some b*tches.
Bobby Freeze: Yeah, more like ham and cheese, man.
Kenny Dawes: Oh, no, actually, ham and cheese is what your sister fries me up after I’m done fiddling her bean.
Sam Garcia: Yoh, show some respect. Coach is here, man.
Bobby Freeze: Watch your mouth, man.
Chubbs Hendricks: Kenny, get in line.
Jack: Alright, run it back. Marcus, this time your feet don’t leave the paint.
[referring to Brandon]
Jack: Doesn’t talk much, does he?
Dan: You know, I have been coaching that kid for three years, and I can count on one hand how many times our conversations have gone past, “Yes, Coach,” and, “No, Coach.”
Jack: Hey, why didn’t you take the job?
Dan: Huh?
Jack: Would’ve made sense. The assistant coach, step in, takes the job.
Dan: My mom has MS, so. My sister takes care of her during the day, but she’s got three kids of her own. So I take nights.
Jack: Sure.
Dan: Then with practices, and then you have scouting.
Jack: Yeah. No, no. Of course. It makes sense.
Dan: There just aren’t enough hours in the day.
Jack: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.
Dan: No, no, no. It’s cool. We all have our own cross to bear, right?
[as Jack turns up for Bishop Hayes first game]
Father Mark Whelan: Any first game jitters?
Jack: F**ck! I’m nervous as sh*t.
Father Mark Whelan: [chuckles] Yeah.
[after which Bishop Hayes loses and later that night Jack gets drunk]
[Jack meets Angela for lunch]
Angela: Heard you’re coaching basketball?
Jack: Beth tell you that?
Angela: Yeah.
Jack: So, you having fun?
Angela: Yeah. I’d be having more fun if we won a game, but keeps me occupied. Keeps my mind off other things.
Angela: I was worried about you.
Jack: What were you worried about me for?
Angela: You weren’t moving on with your life. You were seeing the world in some dark ways.
Jack: Why? Are you?
Angela: Seeing the world in dark ways?
Jack: Moving on with your life.
[Angie doesn’t reply and Jack looks visibly taken aback]
Jack: Uh-oh. What’s his name?
Angela: Nick.
Jack: How did you guys meet?
Angela: Through mutual friends.
Jack: How long has it been going on for?
Angela: Few months.
Jack: Few months? What, like six months? Eight months?
Angela: Okay. Alright. Come on.
[referring to her new relationship]
Angela: I wanted to tell you myself before you found out through one of our friends. Say something, Jack.
Jack: What do you want me to say? “Congratulations”?
Angela: No. Not “congratulations”.
Jack: I’m completely f**cking blindsided by this.
Angela: Blindsided? We’ve been separated for over a year.
[later that night we see Jack getting drunk again at his local bar again]
[referring to Kenny flirting with a girl]
Jack: You better watch out. Priests catch you doing that and you’re going to be spending your weekends here.
Kenny Dawes: No, but it makes my game better though, Coach.
[as Bishop Hayes is about to play Memorial Catholic, a larger school with a better team]
Coach Lombardo: I heard you got a new general in charge.
Dan: Yeah. Jack Cunningham.
Coach Lombardo: Yeah. I’m surprised you could keep him out of the bar long enough to hold practice.
Coach Lombardo: Coach Lombardo.
Jack: Jack Cunningham.
Coach Lombardo: [to Dan] He says that like I don’t know who he is. He’s the best high school basketball player I’ve ever seen. Listen, I was front row when he hung forty-seven against Trinity at the Catholic League semis.
Jack: Got quite a team there, Coach. Twenty-one is a hell of a ball player.
Coach Lombardo: So how are you liking coaching so far?
Jack: Great. Just getting used to the players.
Coach Lombardo: What players? Ah, I’m just breaking your stones, Jack.
Jack: Good luck.
[they shake hands]
Coach Lombardo: You can have the luck. I’ll take the thoroughbreds.
[he walks off]
Jack: What an a**hole this guy is.
Dan: Yeah, big time.
[as their game with Memorial is about to start]
Jack: No more dancing.
Chubbs Hendricks: Coach, are you serious?
Jack: Yeah. I’m serious. We’re one in nine. You’re out there jumping around like you hit the Powerball. You’re embarrassing yourself. Win a few games, we can talk about bringing it back. But for now, that act’s retired. Got it?
Chubbs Hendricks: Yeah.
[during time out]
Jack: I thought I said to force him left!
Sam Garcia: Coach, I’m trying.
Jack: Try harder! What did I say about fading off your man?
Marcus Parrish: Why is sh*t always my fault?
Jack: Freeze, sub in for Marcus.
Marcus Parrish: You taking me out?
Jack: That’s right! Sit the f**ck down!
Marcus Parrish: This is some bullsh*t, man.
[to the team during time out]
Jack: Listen to me. I want every one of you to reach in your shorts right now and tell me if you find a pair. Because right now, you’re playing like a bunch of f**cking p**sies! And that’s the truth.
[to the team during time out]
Jack: Have a little f**cking pride. I don’t give a sh*t if we lose every f**cking game this year! I will not coach a team that has been out-toughed! Alright? Let’s go!
[we then see Bishop Hayes lose to Memorial badly]
[after the team loses the game to Memorial]
Father Mark Whelan: Just wanted to have a little chat with you about something that was on my mind. Um, I don’t know if you recall from your days as a student, but we have a code of conduct at Hayes. Part of that code includes the use of appropriate language. I understand you’re trying to motivate the team, I just wonder if maybe there’s a different approach.
Jack: So, you would like me to be a little more, uh, Christ-like on the bench?
Father Mark Whelan: I’d like you to keep in mind that our mission at Hayes isn’t to win basketball games. It’s to develop men of integrity and faith. Just give it some thought for me. Will you do that?
Jack: Yes, I will.
Father Mark Whelan: Thank you.
Jack: Father, let me ask you something. With all the terrible stuff going on in the world, you think who’s ever up there really gives a sh*t what I say to these kids?
Father Mark Whelan: As Christians, we are called by God to integrate our faith into our daily lives. So, yes, Jack. I do think he really gives a sh*t about the example you set for these young men. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on them.
Dan: I noticed some empty beer cans in the office earlier.
Jack: You’ve been sneaking around the office?
Dan: Well, Garcia lost a contact lens, so the solution…
Jack: I had a friend came by, and he wanted to look at some, and we were hanging out. I mean, you’re not going to break my balls about a couple of beer cans, are you?
Dan: Just don’t let it happen again, okay?
Jack: Yeah, no problem.
[as Marcus turns up late to a game]
Jack: Keep your clothes on, Marcus.
Marcus Parrish: Talking to me?
Jack: Come late to the game, you don’t play. We’ll talk about it at practice tomorrow.
Marcus Parrish: What are you talking about? I’m like four minutes late.
Jack: You know what? Forget about tomorrow. Go home. You’re off the team.
Marcus Parrish: Coach Dan, what the hell is his problem? I’m barely late.
Dan: You heard Coach, Marcus. Go home.
Marcus Parrish: Are you f**cking serious right now? I’m barely f**cking late! Y’all f**cking stupid, man. This dumb-a** team!
[as they’re about to start the game]
Jack: Evening, Sal.
Sal: What’s up, Jackie?
Jack: Give us some friendly whistles tonight, will you?
Sal: [chuckles] Yeah, right. That’s funny. They ain’t paying me enough for that.
[during time out]
Jack: Brandon attacking right will look for Freeze coming off the screen. If neither of those
are there, go to Kenny for the three in the corner. You got this, okay?
[Brandon nods]
Jack: No, don’t just nod. I want to hear your voice. Yes or no?
Brandon Durrett: Yes, Coach.
[after which Bishop Hayes wins the game]
[as Jack gives Brandon a ride home after their game]
Jack: You walk home alone every night?
Brandon Durrett: Mm-hmm.
Jack: Where’s mom or dad?
Brandon Durrett: My mom died three years ago, and my dad’s at home with my little brothers.
Jack: That’s why he didn’t come to any of the games?
Brandon Durrett: Yeah.
Jack: You played a hell of a game tonight. Next time, shoot the ball.
Jack: Sometimes a smart play is not the right play. You’re the best player on the team. The game’s on the line, a hundred times out of a hundred I want you taking that shot. Why is it so hard for you to believe?
Brandon Durrett: What?
Jack: That you’re the best player on the team. You understand this game in a way these guys don’t.
Jack: I saw you get frustrated at Chubbs when he didn’t go backdoor on the ball reverse. Or Freeze, when he didn’t duck under on the Atlanta set. Why didn’t you call him out for not making the right play?
Brandon Durrett: Uh, it’s not really my thing to call someone out. I’m not like the team captain or nothing, so.
Jack: So if I make you the captain, are you going to chew Chubbs out when he doesn’t go backdoor? Yes or no?
[at practice, Jack has Brandon calling out plays and moves]
Jack: Brandon, I still can’t hear you! You’re going to be our point guard, people need to be able to hear what you say on the floor! You hear how loud I’m talking right now?
Brandon Durrett: Yeah!
Jack: That’s how loud you need to be.
Jack: Call it out. Brandon, I can’t hear you!
Brandon Durrett: Yoh, are you f**cking serious? Get off me!
Jack: There’s three thousand people at Memorial screaming their heads off, and I don’t know what set we’re in!
Brandon Durrett: F**ck you! Can you hear me now?! Can you?!
[he walks off the court in anger]
Jack: [to himself] Yeah, I can hear you now.
[after Marcus comes to Jack’s house to ask to be allowed back on the team]
Marcus Parrish: My momma ain’t sent me here, Coach. I’m here because I want to play ball. I miss it. I don’t f**cking like nothing else, Coach.
Jack: Don’t swear. There’s a code of conduct policy at the school. You know that?
Marcus Parrish: My bad.
Jack: There’s a big section in there about swearing.
Marcus Parrish: I’m sorry. I won’t swear.
[pause]
Jack: Be at practice tomorrow at four.
Marcus Parrish: You serious?
Jack: Don’t be late.
Marcus Parrish: Ah, f**ck, no. I mean heck. I’m sorry. Heck, no. I’m not going to be late. I’m sorry about cursing, Coach.
Jack: [to the team] As you can see, Marcus is rejoining the team. Judging by that reaction, I expect it’ll be some time before he regains your respect. Second thing is, Sam and I discussed, we’re going to make a change to the captain spot. Brandon, you’re going to be our captain going forward. That’s it. Get to work.
Jack: What did we discover last night at Baptist?
Sam Garcia: That defense creates offense.
Brandon Durrett: We have to maintain pressure for all four quarters.
Jack: That’s right. Discovered that we’re a pressing team. We don’t take any plays off, we don’t let them breathe.
[as they’re watching the team practice]
Dan: As soon as they get over half-court, we trap. Even if the ball’s in the middle of the court?
Jack: Anywhere and everywhere.
Dan: You can’t trap if the ball’s in the middle of the floor. You need the sideline.
Jack: Who says? We can do whatever we want.
[during one of their games]
Jack: No! Bullsh*t! That’s a chickensh*t f**cking call. God damn it!
[Father Whelan gives him a hard stare for using profanity]
Jack: I’m working on it.
Father Mark Whelan: Work harder.
Jack: [to the team] If we’re going to keep winning games, we got to make our lack of size an advantage. We got to speed the game up. We got to play every possession like it’s a war.
[after the team starts to succeed and win their games]
Jack: What did we discover last night at Downey?
Bobby Freeze: We got to take charges.
Sam Garcia: And we got to play with chips on our shoulders.
Jack: Play with a chip on your f**cking shoulder. Goddamn right.
[to the team as they continue to win their game]
Jack: The little things add up. Let’s do all the little things right. Loose ball gets us two points. Tip pass gets us to four. Steal gets us another two. Now we’re at six. Turnover out of our press gets us to eight. All this sh*t adds up. Every box-out, every hustle, every loose ball, every trap. Put all that sh*t together, all of a sudden we’re pretty f**cking tough to beat.
Jack: What did we learn about ourselves last night?
Brandon Durrett: That we have to respect the game.
Jack: That’s right. Respect.
[at his son’s grave, who died from cancer]
Jack: I miss you, pal.
[referring to David, the son their of friend Miguel, who is in remission]
Angela: Thanks for coming to the party. I know Miguel and Sofia invite us because they don’t want us to feel excluded, but I just end up feeling like even more of an outcast. It’s like I just get angry all over again. Look around at all the boys, and wish it was one of them, not Michael. Does that make me an awful person?
Jack: I never stop being angry.
Angela: I know you’re suffering.
Jack: Yeah, I’m suffering. And I miss my son. And I don’t believe he’s in a better place. I believe the best place for him was right here with you and me.
Angela: Yeah. Home. We’re both suffering.
Jack: I don’t know, Ang, you seem to be doing pretty good. A new job. F**cking some rich guy while we’re still married.
[pause]
Jack: I’m sorry.
[referring to the team during one of their games]
Jack: Playing with their heads up their f**cking a**.
Dan: They’re just really nervous right now. These guys have never played a game that’s ever mattered.
[during the game as Jack is arguing with the referee]
Sal: Technical foul, right here.
Jack: You don’t f**cking decide the game! Okay? The players decide the f**cking game!
[as Jack gives Brandon a ride home after Bishop Hayes loses a game]
Jack: Sorry for losing my temper tonight. I shouldn’t have done that.
Brandon Durrett: You know what my dad told me last night? He said that you got a full ride to Kansas, and that you just quit. No reason. Why?
Jack: My father didn’t like me very much. And then someone told him I was good at basketball, and he paid a lot more attention to me. And the better I got, the more love he showed me. Then I realized it wasn’t me that he loved, it was what I could do.
Brandon Durrett: So you just quit playing as a “f**ck you” to your dad?
Jack: Yeah, I guess so.
Jack: I made a lot of bad decisions, Brandon. I got a lot of regret. I went away from basketball, got into a different life, got into drugs. I spent a lot of time hurting myself, trying to hurt my father. It was my wife who got me out of that. I never picked up a basketball again.
[after Jack visits Brandon’s father, Russ, to tell him that Brandon’s getting attention from college recruiters]
Jack: How come we don’t see you down at any of the games?
Russ: Because I got responsibilities at home. I got two boys that need to be bathed, fed, and helped with their homework.
Jack: Well, we got a big game this week. If we win it, we go to the playoffs.
Russ: Listen, I don’t come to any games because I don’t support my son’s ideas about the game, okay? I don’t want him relying on basketball to make a life. That was my mistake, and it ain’t going to be his.
[referring to Brandon]
Jack: These schools are offering him full scholarships.
Russ: Oh, come on, man. It don’t matter. They offered me the same. Putting your faith in basketball, it don’t work out. And if anybody ought to know that, it ought to be you.
Jack: Yeah. Your son loves the game. He’s going to keep playing it.
Dan: [to Jack] I know nobody expected us to be here, and we got no business winning this game, but I really want to beat these f**cking guys.
[to the team just before another game with Memorial is about to start]
Jack: Look, you’re nervous. I get that. The truth is, they got more talent over there than we do. Probably got a better coach. But I promise you, they are not a better team. I would take anyone on this bench right now, for any one of those players. You worked hard to be here, you earned this. Have some fun out there! Now go out there and earn the playoffs!
[to the team during the game]
Jack: Keep pressing, trapping, taking charges. Make our lack of size an advantage. Play like we’ve got a f**cking chip on our shoulders! Let’s go!
[after Jack’s given the team advice on how to do an elaborate passing set]
Jack: Brandon, forget that. Take the shot.
[Brandon nods]
Jack: Don’t nod your head at me.
Brandon Durrett: I got this.
[Brandon then makes the shot, winning the game for Bishop Hayes]
[after Jack starts drinking again and he turns up late to practice late, still drunk]
Father Edward Devine: Jack, I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to step down from coaching the team.
Jack: Why?
Father Edward Devine: It’s come to my attention that you’ve brought alcohol around the players. We’re going to have to let you go. And I’m going to need your office key. I’m worried that this might be part of a larger problem, Jack. Would that be true?
[after Father Devine has fired him from his coaching job]
Jack: You didn’t want to just come talk to me?
Dan: I did come talk to you about it, Jack, and then you lied to me.
Jack: I never lied to you. I didn’t lie to you about anything.
Dan: You lied to me today about your alarm clock.
Jack: I had a power outage at my house!
Dan: You were drunk at practice.
Jack: Oh, bullsh*t!
Dan: I could smell it on you!
Jack: Bullsh*t!
Dan: The boys could smell it on you.
Jack: Let’s just get to the playoffs, alright? Guys, please. Just don’t do this. Okay? You know, I had a bad night. And, I got it under control now, and I can take care of it. Let’s just, please. I’m asking you, please, okay? I’m sorry. Please, don’t do it, do this.
Father Edward Devine: Jack, you’ve made this decision for me. I can’t accept responsibility for allowing you to be around the boys anymore.
Jack: Please, don’t do this.
Father Edward Devine: Our decision is final, Jack. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to alcohol.
Jack: Fine. F**ck it. I tried to do something good with these kids. You know, it’s your choice. Who’s going to coach the team? You? You’re a f**cking math teacher. I came to help you out. Look what we did. I tried to come in here and help you. You asked for my help. And I tried to help you. This is such bullsh*t.
[as he’s trying to get the office key’s off the key ring holder]
Jack: I can’t get this… I don’t need this job.
Father Edward Devine: We are trying to help, Jack.
[Jack throws the keys angrily across the office and leaves]
[after Jack goes on a heavy session of drinking and wakes up in hospital]
Beth: Did they tell you that they found you unconscious in the street? And that you broke into someone’s house?
Jack: Yeah.
Beth: Just, you’re going to kill yourself if you keep going like this. That’s why I’m going to
get you some help, okay?
Dan: [to the team] It has been decided that he will no longer be with the team due to personal issues that we’d rather not go into. I will step in as the interim coach. And I don’t see why anything has to change.
[as Jack begins to attend therapy]
Therapist: During our family session, your sister and mother said that you’ve isolated yourself since Michael died. Would you agree with them?
Jack: Yeah. I mean, I certainly don’t see them as much as I used to.
Therapist: They also said you never talk about your son.
Jack: I don’t know what they want me to say. I could talk about the, uh, tumors in his brain and his spine. Thirty rounds of radiation. He used to scream when he had seizures. Nobody wants to hear that.
Therapist: We can’t change the past, Jack. What we can do is choose how we move forward. Think about Michael. What would he want for you?
[Angela visits Jack in rehab]
Angela: I’m really glad you’re here, Jack.
Jack: Yeah. Me too. I should have come here a long time ago. I just want you to know that I know that I failed you. And I know that I failed our marriage. I failed our son, because I didn’t take care of his mom. And I hope that one day you can see in me the man that you once hoped I would be. I’m so sorry.
[as Bishop Hayes is about to start their first playoff game]
Bobby Freeze: Hey, fellas, let’s win this f**cking game for Coach Cunningham, baby.
Team: Yeah!
[we then see Brandon leading the team confidently and see his father and brothers come to watch the game]
[last lines; we see Jack at an outdoor basketball court shooting hoops as we hear the commentators at the Bishop Hayes playoff game]
Commentator #1: [voice over] We said earlier that Coach Jack Cunningham, the man responsible for this amazing turnaround wasn’t able to be on the bench today. But you have to imagine he’d be very proud of the way these boys are playing.
Commentator #2: [voice over] You know, I can remember watching Jack as a player. He was tough, intense, competitive, and he has instilled in these boys all those qualities that made him such a winner.
Commentator #1: [voice over] And you can see Jack’s imprint all over this team.
Commentator #2: [voice over] Clearly a reflection of their coach. I have never seen a high school team with this much composure.
What do you think of The Way Back quotes? Let us know what you think in the comments below as we’d love to know.
Trailer:
I appreciated reading the quotes after hearing them on the screen.
Wonderful movie. Fabulous actor Ben Affleck! Recommending The Way Back to everyone.