The Way

Perhaps the biggest compliment that could be paid to The Way is, “buen camino.”

Loosely translated, it means “good road,” but it has greater significance as an expression of good cheer among well-wishers along the Camino de Santiago, a trail of spiritually rich landmarks of about 500 miles across northern Spain that serves as the backdrop for this drama about how one man’s quest for catharsis turns into a journey of self-discovery.

The heartfelt film is obviously personal for its writer-director, Emilio Estevez, for whom The Way is his first film in five years. Subject matter aside, it also re-teams Estevez with his real-life father, Martin Sheen, in a terrifically understated performance as a man who tries to posthumously reconcile with his estranged son.

Sheen plays Tom, a California ophthalmologist who ventures to Europe after being given the news that his son died while traveling the Camino. Overcome with guilt, he decides to walk the daunting trail himself in order to spread his son’s ashes. Along the journey, he reluctantly bonds with a handful of other travelers with various personal troubles, including a cynical Canadian (Deborah Kara Unger), a gregarious Dutchman (Yorick van Wageningen) and a fledgling Irish writer (James Nesbitt).

Sheen’s portrayal is contemplative, with little dialogue relative to his abundant screen time that gives him room to react and listen. This is clearly a case of director and star being in sync with regard to a character, which should come as no surprise considering Sheen and Estevez developed the project together (Estevez plays the son in the film’s flashbacks).

The Way takes advantage of some breathtaking locations on the Camino, capturing both the quirky towns and personalities along the path, as well as the camaraderie that develops with complete strangers during the journey.

What it doesn’t convey as well is the higher spiritual meaning that is supposed to accompany such a trek, except to say that the religious significance will be interpreted differently by each person. And while Tom’s journey is mentally exhausting, it doesn’t seem as physically grueling as would be expected, especially for an older man.

The film ambitiously takes the framework of a modern-day Wizard of Oz, although it lacks the emotional impact of the thematically similar Into the Wild. Still, it’s a modest yet poignant examination of the need for family and friends to help navigate life’s rough spots.

Rated PG-13, 128 minutes.