The Way, My Way

There are times in life when we find ourselves becoming inexplicably obsessed with embarking on certain tasks that we know we must complete, even if we’re not entirely sure why. One such venture is walking the 800-km path of El Camino de Santiago, a legendary pilgrimage route that extends from southwestern France across northern Spain to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where the remains of the apostle St. James are said to be buried. Many have made this journey over the centuries in hopes of finding personal meaning, one of whom was Australian filmmaker Bill Bennett, who chronicled his trek in a best-selling memoir that provides the basis for this film, which he also wrote and directed. Technically speaking, “The Way, My Way” is probably best categorized as a docudrama with documentary-like elements. The filmmaker (portrayed here by actor and alter-ego Chris Haywood) first got the idea to walk the Camino while on vacation in Spain with his wife, Jenn (played by Bennett’s real-life wife, Jenniver Cluff), despite the fact that he had no idea why. He was not especially spiritually oriented at the time but nevertheless felt a need to make the journey, which he subsequently did on his own over the course of a 31-day odyssey. It was a venture punctuated with a variety of challenges, such as a flare-up of a bum knee injury that hampered his ability to walk, an ironic development given the fundamental nature of the undertaking. But, despite this setback, he was committed to seeing it through, and the experience was ultimately worth it. Over the course of his beautifully photographed travels, he encounters a diverse array of individuals with whom he engages in a series of profound exchanges, some of whom pass along meaningful messages to him and others to whom he relays insights that they sorely need to hear. He also comes upon revelations on his own, notions that provide him with greater clarity about himself and why he undertook this mission in the first place. While actors portray a few of the film’s characters (Laura Lakshmi, Pia Thunderbolt), many are actual pilgrims whom Bennett met along the way (Johnnie Walker Santiago, Balazs Orban, Laszlo Vas, Ivan Boffi, Giovanna Donzelli), re-creating their encounters and conversations with him. These seemingly chance meetings vary widely in terms of content, depth and length, with some effectively more insightful than others. Moreover, some of these exchanges might have proven more meaningful if they had been accompanied by more fully developed back stories, both for the protagonist and his fellow seekers. But, considering the essential nature of this work, it imparts more intuitive and profound perspectives than what one typically finds in most cinematic offerings these days. What’s perhaps most telling here, however, is the message embedded in the title – Bennett’s commitment to walking “the Way” on his terms, despite whatever advice others may have offered him, and that’s the whole point of engaging in a journey of self-discovery like this, an approach likely to generate the most impressive and powerful results attainable. We can learn much from experiences such as this, and we’d be wise to avail ourselves of such opportunities when they present themselves.