"Away We Go" Movie Review

We take a pause this week with the current crop of new releases to check out the indie flick, Away We Go ( R). In film John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph star as a couple in their thirties who are searching for the best place to start their family with their yet unborn child. During their journey they encounter a host of other families with different perspectives on raising families. Sam Mendes directs.

Ryan: If one's looking for a break from the noise that's mostly coming out of cineplexes then I would recommend seeing the film, Away We Go. It's a bit cliché to label indie films as normally being smart but this film is genius compared to many of the films that we have unfortunately covered this summer. Away We Go is a fulfilling movie told in a tidy manner. One generally empathizes with the main characters in the film and the movie is very relatable, especially with moviegoers of our generation.

Andy: Director Sam Mendes may never achieve at the level of his directorial debut, American Beauty, but it is easy to argue that he hasn’t made a bad movie. Away We Go continues this trend. While the movie may not be for everyone, it certainly speaks to people in their 20s and 30s. The fact that 30-something hipster icon Dave Eggers co wrote the script only adds to the appeal. This is by no means a perfect movie, but it speaks very clearly to the timeless, existential dilemma that many people early in adulthood face: what am I going to do with my life?

Ryan: Sam Mendes' last film was another take on marriage and relationships—Revolutionary Road. Away We Go is a stark contrast in terms of drama and tone from that film and it's gut-wrenching story. But they are both well-crafted films and it's worth highlighting Mendes ability to look at marriage from different angles and perspectives. Away We Go is not as heavy as Revolutionary Road but it explores similar themes in a different but just as effective manner. I'm not breaking ice here declaring Mendes to be a talented filmmaker but his films tend to fly under the radar at times and that shouldn't be the case.

Andy: Away We Go is an Indie romantic comedy that works primarily because of the charming nature of the two leads. While both Krasinski and Rudolph’s characters are a bit odd, they seem like eccentric friends that you wish you had. The result is that in spite of some of the movie’s other shortcomings, you care and root for these characters.

Ryan: Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski have entertained plenty of people on TV but both of them have yet to establish successful film careers. Making this movie is definitely a step in the right direction. I would argue that neither give breakthrough performances but they do put forth solid performances. They play their characters right down the middle as they were intended to be played. Consequently their characters (and performances) stand out because most of the other supporting roles are--by design--more absurd.

Andy: As Ryan alluded tool, many of the characters that Krasinski and Rudolph encounter on their cross-country trek seem a little over the top, and that may rub some moviegoers the wrong way. The film is structured in a very episodic way, and there is no question that some of the episodes work a little better than others. I would be willing to bet that which episodes work and which don’t varies from person to person. It makes the movie a little uneven, but it still works more often than it doesn’t.

Away We Go is a pleasant alternative to many of duds released this summer.
Final grade: B+.