Watch The Way Back (2020) online

The Way Back (titled Finding the Way Back in the United Kingdom) is a 2020 American sports drama film directed by Gavin O'Connor and written by Brad Ingelsby. It stars Ben Affleck, Al Madrigal, Michaela Watkins, and Janina Gavankar, and follows an alcoholic construction worker who is recruited to become head coach of the basketball team at the high school he used to attend.

The film was theatrically released in the United States on March 6, 2020, by Warner Bros. Pictures. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic causing movie theaters across the globe to close, Warner Bros. made the film available to own digitally on March 24, 2020. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with Affleck's performance receiving praise. However, the film was also a box office bomb, only grossing $14 million against a budget of $21-25 million.

Jack Cunningham is an alcoholic construction worker who is separated from his wife, Angela. While at Thanksgiving dinner with his mother, his sister Beth, and her family, Beth reveals that friends, including Angela, have expressed concern about his drinking and isolation from friends and family. The next day, Jack receives a call from Father Devine at his Catholic high school Bishop Hayes, where he was a star basketball player and led the team to multiple championships. Father Devine asks him to step in as the school's basketball coach, as the current coach has suffered a heart attack. Jack is initially reluctant, but accepts the job. Jack is introduced to assistant coach and algebra teacher Dan, as well as members of the team. Bishop Hayes has only won one game, and has not gone to the playoffs since Jack was a student. As a result, student interest in basketball has dropped greatly, leaving the team with just six varsity players. Among these players are Brandon, the team's introverted point guard and most talented player, and Marcus, the team's center, who aggravates his teammates and Jack with his attitude.

Angela meets with Jack and reveals that she is seeing someone new. Jack continues drinking heavily; his friend Doc takes him home from the bar every night, making sure he arrives safely.

The team faces Memorial, a larger school with a much more talented team, in one of Jack's first games as coach. Trailing significantly and frustrated at a perceived lack of effort, Jack benches Marcus and demands the team play with more toughness. Nevertheless, Bishop Hayes loses badly. Dan begins to notice signs of Jack's alcoholism, including an allusion to his drinking habits by Memorial's coach and finding beer cans in Jack's office.