Get away for an evening with “”Away We Go.”” This Sam Mendes indie flick delivers on the romance and the comedy while also offering a cast of supporting characters to flesh out an all around great cast. The film is poised somewhere between a romantic comedy, a comedy of manners, and a drama. Verona (Maya Rudolph) is in love with Burt (John Krasinski), but she doesn’t want to marry him because of her harsh past. Despite this fact, the oddly paired couple exudes an onscreen love that is unbelievably real and candid. Upon a series of odd events the couple decides they are free of ties to their current home and will travel around the US, with a stop in Canada, to find the perfect home for their new family.
Of course, along the way hiccups arrive which reveal the true personalities of the leading characters. There is so much going on the film it’s hard not to spoil the many twists and turns that lead to a magnificent and moving outcome. In one of the films most memorable scenes, the joyfully naive Burt takes Verona to visit a childhood friend now turned college professor. This friend, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, has changed significantly since Burt’s last visit. She has changed her name from “”Ellen”” to “”LN,”” is shunned for nursing another woman’s child, and no longer believes in strollers or the need to stop nursing her children once they’ve become toddlers. Gyllenhaal embraces her role with all of her being.
This humorous scene reveals a lighter side of the cast, but there are instances where the drama takes over. Take, for instance, the couple’s visit to Montreal where they meet up with college friends who have adopted several children and seem to live a perfect life. Behind the faÇõade of a happy family lies a woman torn apart by her own body. She is forced to face her reality because of Verona’s presence.
The best part about the film is Rudolph and Krasinski’s total departures from the parts they play on TV – it’s not “”Saturday Night Live”” or “”The Office.”” They are developed characters that are not related to the roles they generally play. Their well played parts make it easy to suspend your disbelief and go head on into the film.
Partially shot in Tucson and boasting UA extras like Brandon Moore, a creative writing senior, this film is worth seeing for its Arizona connection along with the beautifully written screenplay. Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida worked together to write the film and their personal touches can be felt through the vivid dialogue and character interaction. The easily spoken dialogue and thoughtful direction come together in scenes like the first and last of the movie. Although awkward and off-putting in their own right, the realness and connection of what’s being created is there in full force.
Visually stunning and well directed, this film revolves around a cast of characters who seem odd together yet mesh beautifully. This film deftly follows the evolution of the expecting couples search for “”homes”” – an elusive and interesting concept that Mendes, Eggers, and Vida explore in “”Away We Go.””
Rating: A-
Running time: 1 hour and 40 minutes
Rated R
Playing at El Con Mall, 3601 E. Broadway Blvd.
