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 firs...