Amanda Peet

The decisions Togetherness makes in its season finale are poignant and borderline tragic not just because of what they mean for these characters’ futures, but because the entire season has been leading up to some manifestation of these confrontations. The slow sense of foreboding that has surrounded Michelle and Brett’s marriage or Alex and Tina’s friendship allows the audience to marinate in the anticipation of a catastrophe, making the end points of each of the four in “Not So Together” much more gut wrenching than if they were to arrive completely out of left field.

“Party Time” continues the relationship trends that were established in the last episode, with Brett and Michelle slowly growing in different directions and Tina and Alex continuing to pettily feud as if they are small children. Everything revolves around a set of two “parties,” one far more traditional than the other. Michelle and Brett’s relationship finally caves in from its fractures despite Michelle attempting to understand where Brett is at emotionally and trying to solve what ails them. Meanwhile, Tina and Alex’s interactions start out ice-cold, but due to Tina’s struggles with her business, eventually thaw to an acceptable level again, even if they don’t find themselves back on perfectly friendly terms. The most interesting part is that where Tina and Alex try not to be around each other for most of the day, their interactions come back around to friendliness by the end of the afternoon, yet Michelle’s voiced desire for Brett to be around for her fundraising party results in what could end up being a permanent separation.

If Togetherness was only about Amanda Peet’s Tina being dishonest with herself about how her behavior around men and friends affects the rest of her life, it could be a great show. Peet is performing far out of her normal lane with this zany, insecure women who either cannot or refuses to acknowledge social cues from men she dates. Long the straight woman in her television and film roles (except for Bent- RIP Bent!), Peet is impossible to look away from here, constantly the most entertaining yet cringe-worthy of the four main characters introduced in the pilot. Her misguided attempts to force a relationship out of what is so obviously a brief hookup with a perfectly cast Ken Marino is only the tip of the iceberg for Tina, as she sets all her hopes on one guy only to see them dashed when he “breaks up with her” via text message.

The Way, Way Back belongs, in no small way, to the same subgenre of low-key indie dramedies like Little Miss Sunshine and Juno, small-town stories populated with well-known actors and an almost sitcom-esque quality to the dialogue. Where this film, written and directed by Nat Faxon and Jim Rash, breaks free from such familiar shackles is in its impressive ensemble cast, specifically the teen actor Liam James and the raffish character actor Sam Rockwell. The Way, Way Back is maybe a touch formulaic, but it’s an assured, enjoyable, and bittersweet coming-of-age story.