Film Review

'Away We Go'

Burt (John Krasinski) and Verona (Maya Rudolph) are expecting there first baby. But when Burt's parents decide to fulfil a 15 year promise to move away from the US the community safety of their current non-descript town falls apart, what follows is a cross country road-trip as the couple search for somewhere to raise their child.

Something is decidedly odd with 'Away We Go', with its low budget indie-style feel and the name Sam Mendes in big bold letters across the screen claiming him to be the director. If you're a fan of Mendes it can take a while to adjust to this new carefree shoe’s off approach to filmmaking after his dark trilogy of ‘American Beauty’, ‘Jarhead’ and ‘Revolutionary Road’, but once you accept the films precious feeling it embraces you like a warm hug from an old friend.

Another decidedly odd turn is that this couple seems to be happy, very happy! Together for years, although never married (Verona keep’s refusing Burt’s offers for decidedly understandable reasons), are about to have a baby and are desperate to find the right environment in which to raise their offspring, somewhere away from the dull and depressing town which they currently call "home".

The only problem with a relationship so perfectly happy – humorous attempts at arguments are replaced by darkly funny discussions which arise for no other reason than to increase the chilled out heart rate of the ever increasing bump - is that it's a hard act to keep up without the expectant obstacles getting in their way to turn things on their heads. Instead of friction generated between the leads most of the dramatics spark from some of the wildest and quirky friends you could ever wish for, all of which offer more than enough damaged energy to bounce off. And what save’s it from becoming overly sweet are the incredibly real and honest leads, both of whom are well written and brilliantly played, offering grounded characters to balance the often exaggerated supporting cast.

So, they decide to trail across the US visiting every friend they can think of that has child raising experience, their journey bouncing somewhere between comedy road movie and deeply moving coming-of-age drama.

Alison Janney as a mother who's idea of good parenting seems to be to mentally torture her kids, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the worst kind of paranoid, hippy, earth loving lunatic who has an irrational hatred of baby strollers. Pretty much all the friends are mentally or emotionally scared in some way but represent everything Burt and Verona hope and prey not to be eventually leading them to find home where the heart is.

You can imagine Krasinski instantly becoming your best friend as the excellent Burt, but it’s Rudolph that's the real stand out here. Her laconic Verona managing to bring across everything she needs to with each little nuance so perfectly realised and wonderfully natural, it's a spot on performance that just adds to the endless list of engaging elements the film offers.

Although it has a more low-budget feel to it, everything fit’s, it’s beautifully shot with a subtle but memorable score and although some will find it to distant from what we’ve come to expect from Mendes, take it in and you will leave the cinema with a big smile on your face. One of those rare films that I could walk straight back in and watch for a second time!

****