Away We Go

(2009)

Directed by

Sam Mendes

Review by Terry Plucknett

Posted - 6/17/09

When I first heard about this movie, I thought, “Wow, Sam Mendes is really stepping out of his box with this one.”  After viewing the film, I stopped and asked myself, “Does Sam Mendes have a box?”  When a first film is as strong as American Beauty, everything is compared to it.  However, Sam Mendes has actually etched out a unique career with each film distinctly different and worthy.  Away We Go is definitely worthy.

The story centers around a young couple, Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (SNL alum Maya Rudolph), who just found out they are having a baby.  When they realize that the only family in town, Burt’s parents, have decided to live overseas for 2 years, the couple goes on a trip to find a place to live where they would be close to family or friends.  Although this is the intended objective, it becomes a journey where they discover who they are and want to be.  They go and see all the people they identify themselves through, and in doing so, discover who they are.

The film is really split into two distinct parts.  The first part is full of random, bizarre characters that include Allison Janney and Jim Gaffigan as that highly random and inappropriate couple that everyone knows and wishes they didn’t, and also Maggie Gyllenhaal and Josh Hamilton, as a free-spirited hippie couple that makes the other couple look normal.  These two places they visit they cannot leave fast enough.  From there, another movie begins that involve real people going through real problems that make Burt and Verona ask each other if they are prepared to face the challenges of life.

There is nothing unpredictable about this movie, other than the quirky characters.  It follows a very predictable path, however it never feels old.  It will have you laughing out loud, like when the young boy tells Burt and Verona what he knows about babies, and also have you in tears.  The script helps this happen, but also the performances.  Everyone has seen what the two leads can do in a comedic setting, Krasinski in TV show The Office and Rudolph as a cast member of Saturday Night Live.  They draw at times from these comedic skills, but they also show they can act as well.  They both give very heartfelt performances that everyone can relate to.  The supporting characters, although none have significant screen time, provide a constant supply of memorable personalities.  These great performances from Jeff Daniels, Catherine O’Hara, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Carmen Ejogo, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Josh Hamilton, Chris Messina, Melanie Lynskey, and Paul Schneider are constantly rotating in and out of the story leaving each scene fresh and new.

All this storytelling in the caring direction of Sam Mendes makes the film even better.  Mendes is one of those directors that force you to take notice when one of his films is coming out.  This film definitely gives you reason to keep this mindset as he once again produces a quality, heartfelt story.  Even though each of his films are in completely different settings, they all address very similar themes of family and love through adversity.  Away We Go definitely is a film that continues this reputation of Sam Mendes, and in fact, expands it.

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