Away We Go

Happily unmarried thirty-something couple Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) are expecting their first child, and are looking forward to sharing the experience of new life with Burt’s parents, who are their sole reason for moving to their current nondescript town. So when the prospective grandparents suddenly decide to depart for Belgium three months before Verona’s due date, the couple are left with little reason to stay around, and so they too head off, in search of the ideal place to raise their baby. Embarking on a cross-country road trip across the United States and Canada, we follow Burt and Verona’s encounters with various friends and relatives in an attempt to gain some insight into what parenthood has in store for them.

Hot on the heels of his powerful suburban drama Revolutionary Road, Sam Mendes takes a step back from producing blockbusters to try something a little different. Although similar to his debut smash American Beauty in that this film is an exploration into the day-to-day dramas of the average American, Away We Go sees a conscious shift down in gear to a light-hearted style characteristic of indie cinema. This approach is reflected directly in the lead couple’s easy-going nature, finding joy in both their new experiences and in each other. Perhaps the most charming quality of the movie is that we are following a pair very much in love, whose zest for life is an enjoyable substitute for romantic conflicts and underlying tensions. Krasinski and Rudolph are a delightful pairing who, although almost completely unknown on our side of the pond, possess an immediate and genuine appeal that is rude to resist.

An interesting departure for an acclaimed director, Away We Go is an invigorating injection of drama and comedy that is sure to infect you with its good cheer.

Owen Rye