Away We Go (2009)

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.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers:

Dave Eggers, Vendela Vida

Stars:

John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney

3 wins & 10 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Krasinski	...	Burt
Maya Rudolph	...	Verona
Carmen Ejogo	...	Grace
Catherine O'Hara	...	Gloria
Jeff Daniels	...	Jerry
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

Storyline

Burt Farlander and Verona De Tessant are a couple steeped in eccentricity and irregularity but are very much in love. So when they find out that Verona is pregnant they seem to be taking it in their stride. Verona is enjoying pregnancy, Burt is already practicing skill that he believes a good father should have, and they living in the same state as Burt's parents, Jerry and Gloria, so that their prospective daughter can have grandparents. However, things are shaken up when Burt and Verona go to dinner at Jerry and Gloria's house, as Burt's parents reveal a surprising piece of news. They have decided to move to Antwerp in Belguim a month before the baby is due, scuppering Burt and Verona's plans of having their children's grandparents around. Because Verona lost her parents when she was relatively young, she finds this news very hard to take, but the resilient couple quickly find a way to turn it in to a positive. It becomes obvious that this is what the pair needed, as they decide to ...

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Plot Keywords:

road trip | train travel | arizona territory | arizona | arizona desert | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Sam Mendes Project

Filming Locations:

New Haven, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$130,411, 7 June 2009, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$9,451,946

Company Credits

Production Co:

Focus Features, Edward Saxon Productions (ESP), Big Beach Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Toni Collette dropped out due scheduling conflicts. Maggie Gyllenhaal took over her role.

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Goofs

Burt refers to "Chechnyan" orphans. The people of Chechnya, are however, known as Chechens.

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Quotes

Verona De Tessant: Do you promise to stop talking about your ability to find or not find my vagina after I give birth?
Burt Farlander: I do.

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Connections

Features The Sound of Music (1965)

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Soundtracks

Towards the Sun
Written and Performed by Alexi Murdoch
Courtesy of Zero Summer Records

User Reviews

A tedious bore

This film is about an expecting couple who travels around the country to try to find a perfect place to start their family.

"Away We Go" is slow and plain. The characters and the story are not developed enough to make me care about them. I almost feel that the couple is being irresponsible by travelling around according to their moment's fancy. I just cannot connect with their mindset at all, and hence I find the whole film a pointless and tedious bore. The only redeeming feature is Maggie Gyllenhaal's enchanting performance as a new age person, which consolidates her already strong CV.

"Away We Go" is such a disappointment, especially when compared to the strength of Sam Mendes' last effort, "Revolutionary Road".