Away We Go - Movie Review

By Anne Brodie Jun 7, 2009, 15:49 GMT

Directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”) from an original screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this funny and heartfelt film follows the journey of an expectant couple (John Krasinski [“The Office’] and Maya Rudolph [“Saturday Night Live’]), as they travel the U.S. in search of the perfect place to put down roots and raise their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections ...more

A little gem, a quiet, humane masterpiece that breaks the rules of summer – it is crashless, non-explosive, murder free and, I’ll say it, calm. Away We Go is a heartfelt chronicle of a young couple and their search for the right place to raise their unborn baby.  It’s a road movie that goes to four American cities and one Canadian – Montreal – in the couple’s bid to build a home and community that they don’t have.
Sounds dull but there is much pleasure to be had in a movie filled with grace and unconditional love. It illuminates our hearts and offers an array of emotions not usually tapped in movies let alone summer’s formulaic usual suspects. If you’re seeking 3-D, IMAX jolt per second thrills, this isn’t it.

Away We Go leads with its heart, unabashedly so. It has the courage to be small and intimate in the sea of clanging, ironic summer films. Not everyone’s cup of tea. Some may find the place slow and the script subtle.

Sam Mendes has a winner on his hands in this unexpectedly moving road film. He looks at the positive side of love, flipping the coin from the harrowing Revolutionary Road.

John Krasinski sheds his ironic, hip “Office” self in favour of life affirming guy who has so much heart he can’t contain it.  Krasinski’s voice is different, softer and higher pitched and more expressive than his TV persona’s sotto voce / fake doco sound.
He plays Burt, in love with Verona (Maya Rudolph) who is expecting their child. They visit his parents to tell them the good news but are crestfallen to learn the parents are moving to Europe before the baby’s born. Oddly for a contemporary film, they are heartbroken that they won’t have family to celebrate and support them in that milestone. They aspire to a ‘Huck Finny’ childhood for their baby– old fashioned and simple.  A brilliantly rebellious bit of storytelling right there.

The journey takes them to places where they know people - hoping to start new life from these building blocks.  But most of their friends don’t fulfil the couple’s view of their future. The sister (Alison Janney in a drop dead performance) is morally, ethically, socially compromised, a cousin (Maggy Gyllenhaal) is a New Age loony, a brother (Paul Schneider) is deep in trouble and the most promising of their prospects has its own challenges.

Although these stories and performances are powerful, the best scenes take place between Burt and Verona as they weigh out their lives in search of balance and constantly reaffirm their love. Their bond is enviably tender and honest. They know what they want and who they are, and have the fortitude to trust their instincts. Performances are outstanding across the board but the most engaging journey is internal.

There’s an underlying sadness throughout the film that they so want a family and can’t seem to find one. The well chosen soundtrack offers pitch perfect emotional support to strengthen the bittersweet beauty.

Away We Go
35mm comedy/drama
Written by Dave Eggers, Vendela Vida
Directed by Sam Mendes
Opens June 5th
MPAA: Rated R for language and some sexual content
Country:  USA
Language: English