Bill Bennett has a problem but he doesn’t necessarily know this. He’s heading to Spain to walk the Camino de Santiago and he’s not really sure why. Those around him have a much clearer idea of his most pressing issue, particularly his wife, Jennifer. But more about that later.
The measure of a good film is the way it keeps interrupting your more mundane thoughts for days and weeks later. What did it mean? How good was that scene? Did he really understand what she was trying to say? And what happened to …. whoever? You get my meaning.
The Way, My Way is a good film. It’s tricky to understand as it has strange layers. It’s based upon a non-fiction account of such a pilgrimage by writer and film maker, Bill Bennett. Bennett is portrayed by actor Chris Hayward, but Bennett’s wife, Jennifer, is played by his actual wife Jennifer Cluff. We find out in the end credits that many other characters are also played by the people Bennett met and befriended on his 800-kilometre trek.
This is a small film in the nicest sense. It’s warm, kind and funny and focuses on how all generations can meet, interact and bring out the best in each other if we stop to listen. Bennett asks a lot of questions on his journey and this gives us a window into the challenges his fellow travellers face. He also asks questions of himself and learns a lot about what’s not working. In particular, that grumpy old men might only be funny in the eyes of other grumpy old men. For the rest of the world, they are just plain hard work.
I won’t spoil it by revealing more but suffice it to say this is an unprepossessing movie deserving of a much wider audience than it will probably get. See it if you can, and I’ll see you on the Camino, poles obligatory.