The Way

Summary:  Martin Sheen plays a doctor named Tom, whose adult son, Daniel, has always been a bit distant.  They have different life philosophies.  When Daniel leaves to travel Europe, they are on rocky ground.  Then Daniel dies while traveling the Camino de Santiago, an old pilgramage trail in France and Spain.  Tom travels to France to collect the ashes.  While there, he decides to travel the Camino, since Daniel didn't make it far, and spread Daniel's ashes along the way.  He meets some really great people while on his journey, who provide him with perspective on his own life and his relationship with his son.

OaTs:  Being a die-hard fan of The West Wing, I knew I wanted to see this as soon as I heard about it.  Martin Sheen is a favorite of mine, and he does a wonderful job in this film.  He is rather quiet throughout the journey, only really speaking when he has something to say.  His quiet grief was so wonderfully protrayed.  I cannot imagine what it must be like to lose a child, especially one that you are estranged from.  And with Daniel being played by Emilio Estevez, Sheen's real life son, I'm sure the journey in making the film was just as incredible as it was to watch it.  Estevez also directed the film and wrote the screenplay.

I rented it from a Red Box, and wish so very much that I could have seen it on the big screen.  The scenery was so beautiful, I took my breath away.  It really made me want to make the journey myself some day.  Maybe I will.  Maybe I'll just dream about it.

But it was a really great story.  I man exploring the world and his faith at the same time.  I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in faith, or even just the human spirit.  It will make you think, but it's not a lecture.  Those are the best kind for me, where you leave the theater (or turn off the television) thinking about things in a different way than you did before.

Score:  9/10