Away We Go (2009)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

26 June 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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

US Showtimes:

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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
Melanie Lynskey	...	Munch Garnett
Colton Parsons	...	James
Katherine Vaskevich	...	Katya
Jerome Stephens Jr.	...	Ibrahim (as Jerome Walter Stephens)
Brianna Eunmi Kim	...	Cammie
Paul Schneider	...	Courtney Farlander
Isabelle Moon Alexander	...	Annabelle
Finnerty Steeves	...	Professor Ruby
Stephanie Kurtzuba	...	Performance Mom
Pete Wiggins	...	Beckett
Audrey Amey	...	Gwen
Shirley Roeca	...	Dana
Tory Wood	...	Carrie
Michael Breckley	...	Dancer Guy #1
Steve Lai	...	Dancer Guy #2
Randy Lee	...	Dancer Guy #3
Duane Sequira	...	Dancer Guy #4
Vivien Eng	...	Dancer Girl #1
Leah O'Donnell	...	Dancer Girl #2
Hector Flores	...	Valet
Alexandra Grace Henderson	...	Star-Spangled Banner Singer (as Alexandra Henderson)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sam Alsadi	...	Army Sergeant (as Samuel Wilson)
Paul Aldane'e	...	SoBe Couple (uncredited)
Steve Antonucci	...	Pedestrain (uncredited)
Stan Babola	...	Resort patron (uncredited)
Gail Bugeja	...	Gentlemen's Club patron (uncredited)
Bobby Burkey	...	Hotel Waiter (uncredited)
Douglas L. Cook	...	Greyhound Track Gambler (uncredited)
Brenton Covington	...	Greyhound Track Patron (uncredited)
François Duhamel	...	French-Canadian Taxi Driver (uncredited)
Maritza Fernandez	...	Bus station patron (uncredited)
JaMarlin Fowler	...	Race Track Patron (uncredited)
Teri Frost	...	Mom (uncredited)
Sari Gagnon	...	College Student (uncredited)
Marcus A. Huey	...	Dog Track Gambler (uncredited)
Bob Huff	...	Vietnam veteran in wheel chair (uncredited)
Greg Joseph	...	Track Owner (uncredited)
Dave McIlreath	...	Resort Patron (uncredited)
Lisa Minzey	...	Resort Patron (uncredited)
Brooke Murray	...	Resort Patron (uncredited)
Ryan Patrick	...	Greyhound track patron (uncredited)
Chris Vaina	...	Protester (uncredited)
Melissa Wiehl	...	Greyhound Track Patron (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Mendes

Writing credits (WGA)
Dave Eggers		(written by) &
Vendela Vida		(written by)

Produced by
Pippa Harris	....	executive producer
Sam Mendes	....	producer
Peter Saraf	....	producer
Edward Saxon	....	producer
Marc Turtletaub	....	producer
Corinne Golden Weber	....	associate producer
Mari-Jo Winkler	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Alexi () Murdoch

Cinematography by
Ellen Kuras

Film Editing by
Sarah Flack

Casting by
Ellen Lewis
Lori Wyman
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Jess Gonchor

Art Direction by
Henry Dunn
Rosa Palomo

Set Decoration by
Lydia Marks

Costume Design by
John A. Dunn

Makeup Department
Mary Aaron	....	key makeup artist
Angelica Castillo	....	additional makeup artist
Judi Cooper-Sealy	....	department head hair stylist
Judi Cooper-Sealy	....	hair department head
Beatrice De Alba	....	department head hair stylist
Bari Goldin	....	additional hair stylist
Paula Kelly	....	additional makeup artist
Ashlyn Melancon	....	additional makeup artist
Michele Paris	....	makeup department head
Henry Soyos	....	hair stylist
Dana Vargas	....	additional hair stylist

Production Management
David Bausch	....	production supervisor
Kelly Helstrom	....	production manager
Jennifer Lane	....	post-production supervisor
Alexis Wiscomb	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Timothy Bird	....	first assistant director
David Catalano	....	additional second assistant director
Scott Foster	....	additional second assistant director: Arizona, Miami
Keith Jones	....	first assistant director: second unit
Matthew Mason	....	second second assistant director
Jennifer Truelove	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Tommy Allen	....	property master
John Balling	....	charge scenic: Florida
Martin Bernstein	....	construction coordinator
Elizabeth Boller	....	art department coordinator: Florida
Eric Cheripka	....	assistant property master
Vicki Dittemore	....	set dresser: Arizona
Ann Edgeworth	....	props
Lauren Fitzsimmons	....	assistant art director
Alex Gorodetsky	....	chargeman scenic artist
James Harris	....	construction coordinator: Florida
Nel Hernandez	....	art department: Florida
Edward A. Ioffreda	....	graphic artist
Shawn W. Logue	....	assistant property master
Luke Malloy	....	greensman foreman
Charles E. McCarry	....	assistant art director
Victor Morales	....	scenic
Keith Mosca	....	property master: Arizona
Quang Nguyen	....	scenic foreman
John M. Oswald	....	on-set dresser
Nicholas Scott	....	assistant art director: Florida
Gregg Singer	....	leadman
Kelly Solomon	....	art department coordinator
Sarah Sprawls	....	assistant set decorator: Arizona
Erica Torres	....	art department production assistant
Christopher Weiser	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
Jamie Baker	....	foley editor
Nick Carbone	....	sound utility
David Corcoran	....	apprentice sound editor
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Mark DeSimone	....	adr mixer: New York
Michael Fowler	....	adr recordist
Ruth Hernandez	....	adr editor
Mike Howells	....	adr recordist
Paul Hsu	....	supervising sound editor
Bret Johnson	....	sound re-recordist
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Branka Mrkic	....	dialogue editor
Douglas Murray	....	adr mixer
Beauxregard Neylon	....	adr mixer
Benjamin Patrick	....	sound mixer
Jan Petrov	....	adr recordist
Mike Poppleton	....	assistant sound editor
Joy Marie Smith	....	sound intern
Brian Wittle	....	boom operator

Visual Effects by
Glenn Allen	....	visual effects producer
Mathieu Archambault	....	digital compositor
Sarah Barber	....	visual effects coordinator: Mr. X Inc.
Barb Benoit	....	digital compositor
Dennis Berardi	....	visual effects supervisor
Cheyenne Bloomfield	....	visual effects producer: Tantrum Visual Effects and Design
Dominik Bochenski	....	digital compositor: Tantrum Visual Effects and Design
Ella Boliver	....	digital compositor
Dan Cayer	....	digital compositor
James Cooper	....	digital compositor: Tantrum Visual Effects and Design
Molle DeBartolo	....	digital intermediate qc
Thai Son Doan	....	digital compositor
Amélie Dubois	....	digital compositor
Danny Duchesneau	....	compositor
Richard Friedlander	....	visual effects producer: Brainstorm Digital
Parth Ghatge	....	visual effects artist
Matt Glover	....	visual effects coordinator
Jason Gougeon	....	digital artist: Mr. X Inc.
Isabelle Langlois	....	digital effects producer: Mr. X Inc.
Chris MacKenzie	....	smoke artist
Claire McLachlan	....	digital compositor: Mr. X Inc
Sarah McMurdo	....	visual effects producer
Daniel Mizuguchi	....	sequence and animation supervisor
Jessica Nolet	....	lighting artist
Rob Phillips	....	visual effects production assistant
Sebastien Proulx	....	compositor
Kevin Quatman	....	lead compositor
Matt Ralph	....	digital artist
Dominic Remane	....	lighting lead
Eric J. Robertson	....	visual effects supervisor
Paul Saint-Hilaire	....	digital compositor: nuke
Matt Schofield	....	matte painter
Dominik Wojtarowicz	....	digital compositor: Tantrum Visual Effects and Design

Stunts
Marly Coronel	....	stunt double
Ethan Rosenberg	....	stunt double

Camera and Electrical Department
John Alcantara	....	electrician
Sebastián Almeida	....	assistant camera
Joshua Anderson	....	electrician
Michael Arisohn	....	electrician
Russell Beard	....	electrician
Tod Boyle	....	assistant camera: second unit: Colorado
Andrew Cavagnet	....	video assist operator
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
Patrick Fontana	....	shop electrician
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Mike L. Germaine	....	rigging grip
Marvin Haven	....	grip
Mike Indursky	....	assistant camera
Susan Jacob	....	camera loader
Christopher D. Jones	....	grip: Miami
Chris Lombardozzi	....	rigging gaffer
Xavier Luevano	....	grip
Sean McCardell	....	best boy rigging electric
Jon McGinty	....	best boy rigging electrician
Marty Miller	....	best boy grip: Arizona
John C. Nadeau	....	gaffer
Geoff Nangle	....	dolly grip
Robert S. Nielsen	....	lighting technician
Alonso Parra	....	grip
April Ruane	....	film loader: Florida (as April Ruane Crowley)
Sarah Sher	....	video playback operator
Cory R. Starr	....	lighting technician: Arizona
Carl Tebbenhoff	....	electrician

Casting Department
Melissa Braun	....	background casting associate
Teri Frost	....	extras casting assistant
Allison Hall	....	background casting assistant
Helen McCready	....	extras casting
Tamara McDaniel	....	extras casting assistant
James McEvoy	....	extras casting assistant
Geoffrey Miclat	....	casting associate
Grant Wilfley	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Joseph Cigliano	....	costumer
Sandi Figueroa	....	key costumer
Askia Won-Ling Jacob	....	wardrobe
Tim McKelvey	....	costume supervisor
Margaret Moy	....	costume assistant
Adam Watt	....	costume assistant
Brooke Wheeler	....	costume assistant
Magda Amado	....	costumer (uncredited)
Darren Clark	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Leslie Bautsch	....	post-production coordinator
Jen Choi	....	editorial assistant
Joe Gawler	....	digital intermediate colorist
Janet Gaynor	....	first assistant editor
Daniel Triller	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Christine Bergren	....	music legal and clearance
Jim Dunbar	....	music coordinator
Jim Dunbar	....	music producer: original songs
Daniel McIntosh	....	music playback
Randall Poster	....	music supervisor

Transportation Department
Don Baer	....	driver: Florida
Dan Romero	....	transportation coordinator
Cara Sachse	....	driver

Other crew
Harrison Beal	....	assistant choreographer
Justin Bell	....	assistant to producer
Pamela Bertini	....	assistant production coordinator
Rachelle Betker	....	stand-in
Tyson Bidner	....	location manager
Kristen Boulé	....	additional set production assistant
Ricou Browning Jr.	....	marine coordinator
Vince Brown	....	production assistant
Dennis Buckley	....	location assistant
Brian Burger	....	assistant location manager
Marlo Carroll	....	additional production assistant
Chelsey Cary	....	assistant production office coordinator: Leesburg, FL
Jean Chien	....	location manager: AZ/CO unit
Chelsea Christopher	....	stand-in
Ira Chute	....	additional set production assistant: New York
Ira Chute	....	key set production assistant: Arizona
Chris Cloud	....	location assistant
Sarah Crofts	....	location scout
Betsy Custer	....	production executive
Deliana Daskalova	....	production assistant
Tom Deakman	....	stand in
Emilie Deschamps	....	production secretary
Chad Diaz	....	production assistant
Kat Donahue	....	assistant location manager
Sesh Evans	....	production assistant
Scott Foster	....	key set production assistant
Steven Fulcher	....	additional set production assistant
JorDan Fuller	....	production assistant
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement
David Giere	....	production medic
Dan Gloeckner	....	set production assistant
Julie Ann Grasso	....	assistant production coordinator: Florida
Mike Grosky	....	assistant location manager: ct/az unit
Duck Grossberg	....	data manager
Denton Hanna	....	location scout: arizona
Rob Harris	....	unit publicist
Michael Hartel	....	location manager: reshoot
Todd M. Hofacker	....	assistant: Mari-Jo Winkler
Natasha Holstine	....	stand-in
Sarah Horton	....	production assistant
Jamie Horwitz	....	first assistant accountant: location
Niema Hulin	....	location assistant
Ashley Kravitz	....	clearance coordinator
David Laurentin	....	parking coordinator
Richard Mancuso	....	production accountant
Rustin Mangum	....	stand-in
Lisa L. Martin	....	production coordinator: florida
Rick Mattoon	....	stand-in
Jason A. McCauley	....	location assistant: New York
Sean McIntosh	....	production assistant
Joe Mundo	....	location assistant
Sean Oliver	....	adr loop group
Cynthia Onrubia	....	choreographer
Eric Papa	....	assistant to producer
Vicki Pearlman	....	second accounting assistant: Miami
Jim Pellegrinelli	....	travel coordinator
Amanda Phillips	....	stand-in
Marcel Pinkowski	....	location assistant: runner, Florida
Anthony Pizzini	....	film runner
Patricia Porter	....	payroll accountant
Jennifer Radzikowski	....	location manager: Miami
Demian Resnick	....	location scout: New York
Justin Rosini	....	location scout
Jason Sallee	....	assistant location manager
Jere Sallee	....	co-key set production assistant
Patrick Sandefur	....	assets representative
Jill Sapenoff	....	production assistant
Nick Schepisi	....	set production assistant: NY
Marc Siegel	....	accounting clerk
Gladys Silvera	....	accounting clerk
Jason Soule	....	production assistant
Nathan Stipes	....	production assistant
Anita Sum	....	production coordinator
Mike Tank	....	production assistant
Jayne-Ann Tenggren	....	script supervisor
Shermagne Umali	....	production assistant
David Vogel	....	additional set production assistant
Teddy Wenger III	....	assistant production coordinator
Tariq Yasin	....	production assistant
Dana Zolli	....	set production assistant
Peter Pamela Rose	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Big Beach Films
• Edward Saxon Productions (ESP)
• Neal Street Productions

Distributors

• A-Film Distribution (2009) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• A-Film Distribution (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• BIM Distribuzione (2009) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Focus Features (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Hollywood Classic Entertainment (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Mars Distribution (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Paradise (2009) (Russia) (theatrical)
• Serenity Entertainment International (2009) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• FS Film Oy (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Odeon (2009) (Greece) (all media)
• Prorom Media-Trade (2009) (Romania) (all media)

Special Effects

• Brainstorm Digital
• Mr. X

Other Companies

• C5  post-production sound services
• David Haddad  transportation equipment
• Grant Wilfley Casting  extras casting
• Haddad's  transportation equipment
• Pivotal Post  Avid HD Editing Equipment Provided By
• Rockbottom Rentals  walkie rentals
• Scarlet Letters  titles

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

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

Filming Locations:

Leesburg, Florida, USA

Company:

Big Beach Films

Trivia:

This is first Sam Mendes film where Thomas Newman did not compose the original score. Newman has scored every Mendes film since American Beauty (1999).

Goofs:

Errors in geography: After Verona is refused admission on her flight from Phoenix to Madison, she and Burt take the train from a station clearly marked 'Phoenix'. Phoenix is the large US city without intercity rail service.

Quotes:

LN: [to Roderick] They bought us a stroller.
Burt Farlander: What's wrong with a stroller?
LN: I LOVE my babies. Why would I want to PUSH them away from me?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien: (#1.9)" (2009)

Soundtrack:

Oh! Sweet Nothin'

Definitely worth a Go

Director Sam Mendes last movie showed a couple deteriorating right in front of our eyes in "Revolutionary Road", and in a way he makes up for that depressing slog with "Away We Go". The couple here are upstarts, two people with a baby on the way who for the first time find themselves wondering about where they fit in the world and what they'll be like as parents. They're hopeful, but you can see the fear plastered on their face. First time screenwriters (and husband and wife) Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida waste no time in making them two identifiable people, and in the way they survey life's odd, complicated, and wonderful little moments, "Go" never fails at being a funny, thoughtful and heartwarming little gem that you'll fall in love with.

John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) play Burt and Verona, a mid-thirties boyfriend-girlfriend (Verona has a marriage issue) who get the shock of their lives when Verona gets pregnant. Not only that but any roots they have in their little Connecticut town are about to be uprooted because Burt's parents (a funny Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara) are moving to Belgium a month before the baby is born. Having no reason to stay where they are, they pack up and take a road trip, stopping anywhere they know they might find a familiar face. Phoenix, Tucson, Madison, Montreal, and Miami are all marked for a trial period as the two try to figure out who and what they would like to raise their family around.

It's an odd blend of dealing with life's what-ifs and meeting a variety of broad characters. Allison Janney is the funniest of the broad, playing Verona's former boss Lily, an abrasive alcoholic who enjoys point-blank degrading her children and her crazy, paranoid husband, nicely played by Jim Gaffigan. Maggie Gyllenhaal also shows up later on as Burt's zen-like cousin who takes family closeness to a whole new level, i.e creepy. Mendes balances scenes like these perfectly with the richly written script. A scene between Verona and her sister (Carmen Ejogo) where the ushering in of new life forces them to confront the death of their parents, and another where Burt's brother (Paul Schneider), whose wife has just abandoned him and their young daughter, encourages Burt to think about the strength of his own bond with Verona have a rare power that speaks to the importance of family. There is a point where the interspersing of comedy and drama starts to get old but luckily a third act of genuine lessons and happy mediums lead to some of the movies best scenes.

And these are star-making turns from Krasinski and Rudolph. He has a doofy charm that gets a couple good laughs but he also makes Burt a loveably doting and comforting boyfriend there for Verona no matter what. And Rudolph is a big surprise here as she turns in a performance of maturity, vulnerability, and depth. This type of performance is a long way from SNL. They are, for the most part, the straight-men to the quirky characters and are called upon to spend most of the movie's run-time just talking and they gel so well with each other that you really don't even mind. Ellen Kuras' cinematography (rolling hills, sunrises, planes moving across glass window panes) and Alexi Murdoch's songs only increase the pleasure in this funny and effective indie rom-com.

For more reviews, check out Leesmovieinfo.com