Away We Go

Last updated
Away We Go
Away we go poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Sam Mendes
Written by Dave Eggers
Vendela Vida
Produced by Edward Saxon
Marc Turtletaub
Vincent Landay
Starring John Krasinski
Maya Rudolph
Jeff Daniels
Maggie Gyllenhaal
Allison Janney
Chris Messina
Catherine O'Hara
Paul Schneider
Cinematography Ellen Kuras
Edited by Sarah Flack
Music by Alexi Murdoch (Songs)
Production
companies
Distributed by Focus Features
Release date
  • June 25, 2009 (2009-06-25)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$17 million [1]
Box office$14.9 million [1]

Away We Go is a 2009 American romantic road comedy-drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. The film's two leads are John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. It is Mendes's first film without Thomas Newman's collaboration.

Contents

Plot

Verona De Tessant and Burt Farlander are in their early thirties in the Denver area and struggling to meet daily needs and build fulfilling lives. Learning they will soon become parents, they are confronted with the challenge of how – and where – to raise a child and build a happy family.

Six months into Verona's pregnancy, they visit their only family in the area, Burt's parents, Gloria and Jerry, only to find they are moving to Antwerp, Belgium, a month before the baby is due. They will be gone for two years and they have already rented their place to another couple, despite Burt's and Verona's situation.

Frustrated with his parents' selfishness and careless attitude, Burt and Verona decide this is an opportunity to find somewhere else to raise their family, as they both can work from home and live wherever they choose.

They first visit Phoenix, Arizona, to see Verona's old boss Lily, her husband Lowell, and their two children. Burt in particular is disturbed by the couple's crass and mean-spirited behavior toward one another and their children.

Burt and Verona next visit Verona's sister Grace, in Tucson. Verona urges Burt to try to persuade Grace to stay with her boring boyfriend. When Burt takes a call and displays his trademark humor, Grace tells Verona that she is lucky to have him and Verona agrees.

They next visit Burt's childhood friend and pseudo-cousin in Madison, Wisconsin, "LN" (pronounced "ellen"), a college professor at the University of Wisconsin with inherited money and radical views about parenting. They bring a stroller as a gift, greatly angering LN as she and her husband Roderick's is a "continuum home." [2]

Roderick's condescension and LN's backhanded compliments to Verona get to be too much for Burt, so he tells them they are horrible people. He and Verona leave but not before taking their son on a wild stroller ride through the house (which he enjoys).

Burt and Verona then visit old college friends in Montreal, Tom and his wife, Munch Garnett, and their diverse family of adopted children. Verona and Burt are happy to have found a loving family and a nice town, deciding to move to Montreal. When they all go to dinner, Burt admits he has proposed to Verona many times, but she always refuses (this stems from anguish over her dead parents' inevitable absence from the wedding). After dinner, Tom tells Burt that Munch has recently suffered her fifth miscarriage and that they seem unable to have biological children.

In the morning, Burt receives an emergency call from his brother Courtney, in Miami, whose wife has left him. Burt and Verona fly to Miami, where Courtney worries about his young daughter and the potential effects of a divorce on her. Burt tries to comfort Courtney while Verona spends time with his daughter. Burt and Verona spend the night outside on a trampoline, promising to love each other and their daughter and have a happy home.

The next day, Verona tells Burt a story about her childhood house and her parents (who were both killed in a car crash when she was 22). Moved by her memory, they decide to settle in Verona's old family home on the Florida Panhandle. Realizing it is the place for them, they sit together happily, overlooking the water.

Cast

Release

Away We Go had a limited theater release in the United States starting June 25, 2009. It opened the 2009 Edinburgh International Film Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. [3] The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on September 29, 2009.

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 67% based on 187 reviews, with an average rating of 6.57 out of 10. The critical consensus reads, "Built on a set of quirks and charms that are as noticeable as they are interchangeable, Away We Go is a sweet but uneven road trip". [4] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 58 out of 100, based on 33 reviews. [5]

A. O. Scott of The New York Times described the two main characters as self-righteous people "aware of their special status as uniquely sensitive, caring, smart and cool beings on a planet full of cretins and failures". [6]

In response to reviews "accusing Verona and Burt of being smug, superior and condescending," Roger Ebert said that "these are not sins if you have something to be smug about and much reason to condescend." [7] He gave the film three-and-a-half out of four stars. [7]

Soundtrack

The soundtrack of Away We Go was released on June 2, 2009, and primarily features songs from singer/songwriter Alexi Murdoch, instead of an original film score.

(All songs by Alexi Murdoch except where noted)

  1. "All My Days" (4:57)
  2. "Orange Sky" (6:18)
  3. "Blue Mind" (5:45)
  4. "Song for You" (4:38)
  5. "Breathe" (4:18)
  6. "Towards the Sun" (4:40)
  7. "Meet Me in the Morning" by Bob Dylan (4:21)
  8. "What Is Life" by George Harrison (4:24)
  9. "Golden Brown" by The Stranglers (3:30)
  10. "Wait" (5:59)
  11. "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" by The Velvet Underground (7:28)
  12. "The Ragged Sea" (3:19)
  13. "Crinan Wood" (5:45)

"All My Days" was featured in the film's trailer.

Related Research Articles

<i>Hope and Glory</i> (film) 1987 British film by John Boorman

Hope and Glory is a 1987 comedy-drama war film written, produced, and directed by John Boorman based on his own experiences growing up in London during the Second World War. It was distributed by Columbia Pictures. The title is derived from the traditional British patriotic song "Land of Hope and Glory". The film tells the story of the Rowan family and their experiences, as seen through the eyes of the son, Billy.

<i>Dogville</i> 2003 film

Dogville is a 2003 arthouse experimental avant-garde film written and directed by Lars von Trier, and starring an ensemble cast led by Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Paul Bettany, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier, Ben Gazzara, Patricia Clarkson, Harriet Andersson, and James Caan with John Hurt narrating. It is a parable that uses an extremely minimal, stage-like set to tell the story of Grace Mulligan (Kidman), a woman hiding from mobsters, who arrives in the small mountain town of Dogville, Colorado, and is provided refuge in return for physical labor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eva Mendes</span> American actress (born 1974)

Eva de la Caridad Méndez, known professionally as Eva Mendes, is an American retired actress. Her acting career began in the late 1990s, with a series of roles in films such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) and Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000).

<i>Rough Cut</i> (1980 film) 1980 film by Don Siegel

Rough Cut is a 1980 American heist film written by Larry Gelbart, directed by Don Siegel, and starring Burt Reynolds, Lesley-Anne Down and David Niven. It was based on the novel Touch the Lion's Paw (1975) by Derek Lambert.

The War Wagon is a 1967 American Western heist film directed by Burt Kennedy and starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas. Released by Universal Pictures, it was produced by Marvin Schwartz and adapted by Clair Huffaker from his own novel. The supporting cast includes Howard Keel, Robert Walker Jr., Keenan Wynn, Bruce Cabot, Joanna Barnes, Valora Noland, Bruce Dern, and Gene Evans. The film received generally positive reviews.

<i>Deal</i> (2008 film) 2008 film by Gil Cates Jr.

Deal is a 2008 poker drama film starring Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison and Shannon Elizabeth. It follows the former poker player tutoring a younger player (Harrison). The film's climax is a fictional World Poker Tour championship.

<i>That Cold Day in the Park</i> 1969 film by Robert Altman

That Cold Day in the Park is a 1969 psychological thriller film directed by Robert Altman and starring Sandy Dennis. Based on the novel of the same name by Richard Miles and adapted for the screen by Gillian Freeman, it was filmed on location in Vancouver, British Columbia, where the events occur. The supporting cast includes Michael Burns, Luana Anders, John Garfield Jr., and Michael Murphy. The picture was screened at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival outside of the main competition.

<i>Sharkys Machine</i> 1981 film by Burt Reynolds

Sharky's Machine is a 1981 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Burt Reynolds, who stars in the title role. It is an adaptation of William Diehl's first novel Sharky's Machine (1978) with a screenplay by Gerald Di Pego. It also stars Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith, Charles Durning, Earl Holliman, Bernie Casey, Henry Silva, Darryl Hickman, Richard Libertini, Rachel Ward and Joseph Mascolo.

<i>Rosalie Goes Shopping</i> 1989 German film

Rosalie Goes Shopping is a 1989 English-language German film directed by Percy Adlon and starring Marianne Sägebrecht, Brad Davis, and Judge Reinhold.

<i>Revolutionary Road</i> (film) 2008 film by Sam Mendes

Revolutionary Road is a 2008 romantic drama film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Justin Haythe, based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates. It stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as Frank and April Wheeler, with Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, David Harbour, and Kathy Bates in supporting roles. Set in the mid-1950s, the Wheelers struggle to cope with their personal problems and the ensuing breakdown in their marriage. Revolutionary Road is the second onscreen collaboration for DiCaprio, Winslet, and Bates, all of whom previously co-starred in 1997's Titanic. The film soundtrack was composed by Thomas Newman, his fourth collaboration with Mendes.

<i>Once Were Warriors</i> (film) 1994 New Zealand film by Lee Tamahori

Once Were Warriors is a 1994 New Zealand tragic drama film based on New Zealand author Alan Duff's bestselling 1990 first novel. The film tells the story of the Heke family, an urban Māori whānau living in South Auckland, and their problems with poverty, alcoholism, and domestic violence, mostly brought on by the patriarch, Jake. It explores the detrimental effects of the colonisation of New Zealand suffered by Māori, and the survival of Māori culture against all odds.

<i>Brothers</i> (2009 film) 2009 American film

Brothers is a 2009 American psychological drama war film directed by Jim Sheridan and written by David Benioff. A remake of the 2004 Danish film, it follows Captain Sam Cahill, a presumed-dead prisoner of the War in Afghanistan who deals with extreme PTSD while reintegrating into society following his release from captivity. The film also stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Cahill's brother and Natalie Portman as his wife. Both films take inspiration from Homer's epic poem the Odyssey.

<i>Happily NEver After 2: Snow White—Another Bite @ the Apple</i> 2009 American film

Happily N'Ever After 2: Snow White—Another Bite @ the Apple is a 2009 animated direct-to-video film and sequel to Happily N'Ever After released on DVD on March 24, 2009, which stars Helen Niedwick, Cam Clarke, Jim Sullivan, Kirk Thornton, Cindy Robinson, David Lodge, and Catherine Lavin. Mambo, Munk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, the Fairy Godmother, and the Dwarves are the only characters to return from the first film.

<i>Best Friends</i> (1982 film) 1982 feature film directed by Norman Jewison

Best Friends is a 1982 American romantic comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and Goldie Hawn. It is based on the true story of the relationship between its writers Barry Levinson and Valerie Curtin. The film was directed by Norman Jewison.

<i>Letters to Juliet</i> 2010 American romantic drama film directed by Gary Winick

Letters to Juliet is a 2010 American romantic comedy-drama film starring Amanda Seyfried, Christopher Egan, Gael García Bernal, Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero. This was the final film of director Gary Winick before his death on February 27, 2011. The film was released theatrically in North America and other countries on May 14, 2010. The idea for the film was inspired by the 2006 non-fiction book Letters to Juliet, by Lise Eve Friedman and Ceil Jann Friedman, which chronicles the phenomenon of letter-writing to Shakespeare's most famous romantic character.

<i>Children of the Corn</i> (1984 film) 1984 film by Fritz Kiersch

Children of the Corn is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film based on Stephen King's 1977 short story of the same name. Directed by Fritz Kiersch, the film's cast consists of Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, John Franklin, Courtney Gains, Robby Kiger, Anne Marie McEvoy, Julie Maddalena, and R. G. Armstrong. Set in the fictitious rural town of Gatlin, Nebraska, the film tells the story of a malevolent entity referred to as "He Who Walks Behind the Rows" which entices the town's children to ritually murder all the town's adults, as well as a couple driving across the country, to ensure a successful corn harvest.

<i>Something Borrowed</i> (film) 2011 American film

Something Borrowed is a 2011 American romantic comedy film based on Emily Giffin's 2005 book of the same name, directed by Luke Greenfield, starring Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, Colin Egglesfield, and John Krasinski and distributed by Warner Bros.

<i>Family Life</i> (1971 British film) 1971 film

Family Life is a 1971 British drama film directed by Ken Loach from a screenplay by David Mercer. It is a remake of In Two Minds, an episode of the BBC's Wednesday Play series first transmitted by the BBC in March 1967, which was also written by Mercer and directed by Loach.

<i>Mysteries of Lisbon</i> 2010 film

Mysteries of Lisbon is a 2010 Portuguese period drama film directed by Chilean filmmaker Raúl Ruiz based on an 1854 novel of the same name by Camilo Castelo Branco. The movie's running time is 272 minutes. It played as a miniseries in 60-minute installments in some countries. The film has won nine awards and been nominated for eight more.

<i>A Quiet Place</i> 2018 American film directed by John Krasinski

A Quiet Place is a 2018 American post-apocalyptic science fiction horror film directed by John Krasinski and written by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and Krasinski, from a story conceived by Woods and Beck. The plot revolves around a mother and father (Krasinski) who struggle to survive and raise their children in a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by blind extraterrestrial creatures with an acute sense of hearing.

References

  1. 1 2 "Away We Go (2009) – Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  2. The couple describe the continuum movement as fighting against the world's tendency to separate parents from their children; they recite the movement's mantra as "the 3 S: No separation, no sugar, no strollers."
  3. Jaafar, Ali (14 April 2009). "Sam Mendes film to open Edinburgh". Variety. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  4. "Away We Go (2009)" . Retrieved 28 May 2020 via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  5. "Away We Go (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 13 October 2010.
  6. A. O. Scott (5 June 2009). "Movie Review – Away We Go – Practicing Virtue, and Proud of It". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  7. 1 2 Ebert, Roger (June 10, 2009), "Away We Go". RogerEbert.com Retrieved April 17, 2017.