Away We Go
by Sam Mendes
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DVD details
Actor: John Krasinski, Maya RudolphDirector: Sam Mendes
Brand: Uni
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 98 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-09-29
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Focus Features
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- AC-3; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; DVD; Subtitled; Widescreen; NTSC
DVD Reviews of Away We Go
DVD Review: A Small, Sweet Film...Nothing Unique or Profound Though
Summary: 4 Stars
Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes' follow-up to his terrific Revolutionary Road is a much different film from Mendes' previous efforts. This is his fifth film as a director and it is his most simplistic in terms of filmmaking style. You won't find the lavish production values that have characterized his previous films in Away We Go. In fact, this film shares more characteristics with independent dramas like The Squid & the Whale then it does with his previous movies.
Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are a 30-something couple expecting their first child together. When the two go visit Burt's parents (played by Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara), they find out about their plans to move to Belgium a month before the child is born. With the realization that their child's grandparents aren't going to be around, Burt and Verona wonder if they shouldn't look at their other options for a place to raise a child.
This is where the film turns into a "road movie" and it's these scenes that feature sharp, comedic turns by Allison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhaal (neither are strangers to comedy, but both stand out here).
This film, with its tone and comedic style, is very reminiscent of films by Wes Anderon and Noah Baumbach, but mostly just the typical "indie drama" in general. At the heart of it, it's a comedy but it doesn't rely on cheap gags and staged hilarity opting instead to find humor in the everyday lives and situations of real people dealing with real situations. With the exception of a few choice scenes, the humor has a very subtle tone to it that may lead some people to conclude that it's not even a comedy.
Away We Go is not a profound film like some may expect. The film simply deals with Burt and Verona coping with their upcoming parenthood and learning, over the course of the road trip, about themselves. The character's have no profound revelations in the movie, but simply learn about themselves as we watch and learn along with them. What sets Away We Go apart from films like it is good writing and smart choices by the director. Husband and wife team Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida have written a script with very likeable characters and (at least with Burt and Verona) realistic, down-to-earth character's that one can sympathize with. Furthermore, the banter between Burt and Verona doesn't hide behind anything Hollywood. Their dialogue with each other is essentially no different from the average, mid-30s couple...
The casting of Burt and Verona were very good calls. Rudolph was an SNL cast member but I have not seen any of her previous work. Here, she captures the sweetness and vulnerability of her character and shows strong potential in doing even more dramatic work. Krasinski, as the supportive boyfriend, is a perfect fit for his role as well. I do have some issues with the style and facial hair his character has, considering he sells insurance...But we can let the little things go, can't we? In casting Rudolph and Krasinski, Mendes has given his film a warmer feel to it. Neither actor looks like the Hollywood type. Both are attractive, but they look like average, everyday people and it makes it much easier to follow their story and relate to them. And there is a definite chemistry between the two actors.
Away We Go is not a profound cinematic experience. It's got all the characteristics of the indie-drama from the unconventional characters to the folk-music score to the episodic way the movie unfolds. My biggest complaint about the film is that it doesn't try to break away from this set-up. I applaud the film however for not trying to overcomplicate its simplistic story with cinematic clichés. Away We Go has been called one of the best films of the year and I think it really might've been had it broken away from the constrains of the "indie drama," but it does have a lot going for it and it left me with a smile on my face. It's a small, sweet film that will entertain you and for that, it's worth watching.
GRADE: B-
Description of Away We Go
John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) star in the heartfelt film that explores the comedic twists and turns in one couple?s journey across contemporary America. Anticipating the birth of their first child, longtime couple Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) embark on an ambitious itinerary to visit friends and family in order to find their perfect home. Featuring a remarkable soundtrack and an incredible ensemble cast ? including Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Catherine O?Hara and Jim Gaffigan. It?s the hilarious, witty film that critics are hailing as ?absolutely extraordinary!? (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone)Away We Go has an incredible mix of ingredients: A script co-written by Dave Eggers (author of A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius), directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road), starring the not-hugely-famous-but-always-excellent Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) and John Krasinski (The Office), and featuring an astounding supporting cast that includes Catherine O?Hara, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, and more. What?s even more incredible is that all these ingredients blend together into a truly marvelous but very non-traditional romantic comedy. For one thing, Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) are already a couple and expecting their first child. What they don?t know is where they?re going to live--so they set off on a tour of disparate locations (Tucson, Montreal, Miami) where they have friends or relatives, sampling not only different cities and climates but also different families. The social and emotional collisions that follow are sometimes very funny and sometimes heartwrenching. Away We Go starts quietly and, through subtle yet consistently delightful scenes, builds to a surprisingly potent end. This is a gem of a movie, not to be missed. --Bret Fetzer
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