Away We Go (2009)

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers (WGA):

Dave Eggers (written by) &
Vendela Vida (written by)

Release Date:

26 June 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A couple who is expecting their first child travel around the U.S. in order to find a perfect place to start their family. Along the way, they have misadventures and find fresh connections with an assortment of relatives and old friends who just might help them discover "home" on their own terms for the first time.

Plot Keywords:

Couple | Friend | Home | Dead Parents | People Mover

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

John Krasinski	...	Burt Farlander
Maya Rudolph	...	Verona De Tessant
Carmen Ejogo	...	Grace De Tessant
Catherine O'Hara	...	Gloria Farlander
Jeff Daniels	...	Jerry Farlander
Allison Janney	...	Lily
Jim Gaffigan	...	Lowell
Samantha Pryor	...	Ashley
Conor Carroll	...	Taylor
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	LN
Josh Hamilton	...	Roderick
Bailey Harkins	...	Wolfie
Brendan Spitz	...	Baby Neptune
Jaden Spitz	...	Baby Neptune
Chris Messina	...	Tom Garnett

Also Known As:

Farlanders (USA) (working title)
This Must Be the Place (USA) (working title)
Untitled Sam Mendes Project (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content.

Runtime:

USA:98 min | Argentina:98 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45199) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Netherlands:AL | Ireland:15A | Norway:A | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | New Zealand:M | Germany:12 | UK:15 | Hong Kong:IIB | Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Leesburg, Florida, USA

Company:

Big Beach Films

Trivia:

Melanie Lynskey, who plays Munch in the film, made her screen debut in _Heavenly Creatures (1994)_ with Kate Winslet. Winslet is married to the film's director, Sam Mendes.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Burt and Verona arrive at her childhood home, the scene cuts back and forth between a shot through the house towards the water, and a shot from that side back through the door they originally entered. The shots featuring the shore front side of the house show a strong breeze and lots of tree movement, while the shots looking the other direction show no wind and the trees completely still.

Quotes:

Burt Farlander: Did you think that was fun? Because trust me you won't have that much fun until you discover oral pleasure.

Movie Connections:

Features The Sound of Music (1965)

Soundtrack:

Mr. Tambourine Man

A Charming Journey/Roadtrip

The style of Away We Go very much reminded me of a late 1960s/early 1970s film. I kept thinking of Harold and Maude or The Graduate, where the lead characters learn about themselves as their relationships grow and change. There were some characters that were so despicable that they'll make you laugh and cringe at the same time. The disappointments were done in a comedic way so the movie never drags. There were introspective scenes along the journey where I thought a Cat Stevens song would start playing.

The main couple travel to various cities to find the perfect place to raise their daughter and they meet an insane cast of characters along the way. These people remind me of people I've actually met in real life. A lot are parents with the best of intentions but what they are doing is just plain wrong.

Maya Rudolph should be in more serious roles. She's an amazing actress. She gives a very genuine performance, no overacting at all. As for John Krasinski, he was very good too as the loving, supportive boyfriend. There's a scene where he kept trying to say the right thing, but it keeps coming out all wrong. I think any couple will be able to relate to it when they see the film.

What makes this movie charming and deeper than a lot of romantic comedies is that you already have an established couple that's very much in love. This is usually where a romantic comedies ends, but Away We Go probes the deeper question of what happens after you meet the person of your dreams. Away We Go completely avoids the cliché of boy finds girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again.

I thought the music was okay, not the best, but the two men I was with very much enjoyed it.

I don't want to give away too much, but if you like a quieter film with a tone like the other movies I mentioned, you will enjoy this. If you're a looking for just a mindless roadtrip, this is not the film for you.

***I just read an article that the screenwriters were influenced by early 1970s movies, especially Hal Ashby who directed such classics as Being There and Harold and Maude. That explains why I kept thinking of Cat Stevens. If you go to the FilmInFocus website there's a 6 page interview with the screenwriters.***

Also, there's a comment that the film glorifies animal cruelty. The dog races were chosen because it's the saddest place the screenwriters could imagine to do the scene in Arizona. The context in the movie was to show the misery of a place like that, not glorify it at all.