The Way Back: An Alcoholic’s Struggle

Ben Affleck's struggle with alcoholism and the havoc it has wreaked in his life (e.g. unraveling his marriage to Jennifer Garner, among other events) is well known to all movie fans.  Hopefully, he has finally turned his life around.  I think he's an under-rated actor, but, in this film, he just has to be himself to create a terrific and authentic performance. Jack Cunningham is an alcoholic.  He works in construction and starts drinking before work starts and sneaks in a beer or two at lunchtime.  When work ends, he goes to a bar within walking distance from his apartment, since he will be too wasted to drive home.  His sister, Beth (Michaela Watkins), is aware of his problem and is frustrated with Jack's refusal to get treatment.  His excessive drinking was also a major factor resulting in his wife's Angela's (Janina Gavankar) decision to separate.  Jack was once a great basketball player for a Catholic high school.  At first, we don't know why he is where he is in life now, but we learn that a tragedy occurred and this is the way he is maladaptively coping with it.  This event has enraged him, but he has no constructive outlet for it.  Consequently, he continues to engage in self-sabotaging behavior, although the roots for this are from conflicts in his early childhood. Jack gets the chance to coach his old high school's basketball team, which is a complete joke.  He turns the team around and, in the process, starts to resurrect himself, too.  The film has a nice balance of realistic basketball footage and Jack's life outside the court.  It's on Amazon Prime now for $5.99.  It's not "Hoosiers," but it's a darn-good basketball movie.