Year: 2009
Running Time: 98 minutes
Rated: R
SRP: $39.99
Studio(s): Universal Studios and Focus Features
Release Date: September 29, 2009

Film/Feature: C
Comedy is a subjective thing and no matter how funny someone tells me a film is, I have to take to see it for myself and see if I find it either as funny, or funnier than advertised. In many instances though the film falls short of expectations. So based on my sensibilities and broad appreciation of all levels of humor, I would caution to label Away We Go a pure comedy.

Longtime couple Burt (John Krasinski) and girlfriend Verona (Maya Rudolph) are expecting their first child. They live in Denver near Burt’s parents (Jeff Daniels and Catherine O’Hara) but find out they are moving away one month before the baby is due. They are the only family close by. So they begin an ambitious road trip to visit as many friends and family as possible all around North America trying to find a place they can call home and raise their unborn child.

Their friends include an assortment of eccentrics and oddballs including Verona’s tactless former boss Lilly (Allison Janney) and her depressing husband Lowell (Jim Gaffigan) in Phoenix, her sister Grace (Carmen Ejogo) in Tuscon, Burt’s wacko bohemian friends LN (Maggie Gylenhaal) and Roderick (Josh Hamilton), seemingly on-the-surface stable friends Montreal (Melanie Lynskey and Chris Messina) and Burt’s brother Courtney (Paul Schneider) in Miami.

Their friends and family all seem to be more comfortable with themselves and happy with the unhappiness in their lives than Burt and Verona who fail to clarify what’s so unhappy in their lives to prompt such a drastic move. Verona does not believe in marriage, or at least marriage being some defining moment. Burt is unhappy with that, but is still supportive in her decision. They are searching for their direction in life as their next big decision in life before settling down with a child, they have some grand design of raising the child in a way that makes up for all of their shortcomings. Who doesn’t do that?

Away We Go is a sweet, contemplative, little film that I believe, is targeted to 30-somethings who are starting their families and steering though life trying to find their way and settle down. It’s not type of comedy where you’ll laugh-out loud and then think about later how spot on it is. I’m really not sure what it is. I’d be as bold to question if it’s a comedy at all. It’s not particularly witty, it’s just sort of… there. All of the nuanced comedy that was claiming to be there was sort of lost on me. It was neither their friends or family who could help determine what was best for them. It was just something they had to find on their own. They come to this conclusion with such irony and such a lack of eventfulness that you’re just left saying, “So, is that it?” Even your average hipster might be scratching his/her head afterwards.

There is a specific audience it’s speaking to and there are legitimate questions and issues that young families deal with, that Away We Go brings up which the viewers can then self-reflect and ponder what they’d do, but it tries to hard to be such an unconventional film that it paints itself into corners and nothing is really gained or learned in Burt and Verona’s road trip except that friends and family are best admired from afar. Hell, I could have told them that.

Video: B+
This little venture was sealed into blu-ray with a 1080p VC-1 encoded transfer in the original 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The film is a road comedy and they transported viewers to Miami, Arizona, Montreal, and other places. Rudolph’s warm glowing skin has lots of subtlety to it, all of which is clearly visible. The picture has an overall soft aesthetic to it. Details like textures and nature scenes appear to be cozy and comfortable. Contrast levels and shadows are both set at adequate levels to give proper depth perception.

Audio: B+
The 5.1 English DTS-HD audio track that’s honestly overkill for what amounts to a chatty independent film. Outside of some hum-strummy acoustic music of Alexi Murdoch that goes to the left and right front channels, the film is focused through the center channel. Whether through whispers or abrupt shouting, all of the dialogue in Away We Go is clear and pitch perfect, but there’s not much here to measure in terms of robust sound or surrounding effects. Other audio selections include: French and Spanish tracks in 5.1 DTS audio and subtitles are available in English SDH, French, and Spanish.

Extras: C
Audio Commentary by Director Sam Mendes and Writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida is like re-watching the movie with three friends, chatting and laughing the day away. They reveal a little more of the subtext that’s in the screenplay and note the subtlety of the acting and the themes of what Burt and Verona are going through and coming away with these visits to their friends across the country. It’s not a technical track by any means but if your curiosity is still brimming after seeing the film then you may want to go back and see it with their comments.

Making of Away We Go HD (16:13) Director Sam Mendes and his cast talk about the personal touch that was put and felt by the film, how the story was very real and very poignant at this time in their lives.

Green Filmmaking HD (6:38) is a brief look into the current wave of conscious green filmmaking to minimize waste and maximize used materials. It’s not relevant to the film, but is nice to see environmentally aware filmmakers doing what they can to minimize waste.

Overall Shock Value: C
Going through this actual period in my life, I was hoping for a surprising film that I would treasure, but the main characters meander to their eventual conclusion unceremoniously, and their journey nor their concerns are just not as nearly as interesting as they make it out to be. But there are going to be folks out there who dig the folky music, the non-nonchalant wandering and the subtle surmise to the revelation of an ironic placement in life is where you need to be. I’d rent Away We Go though before coming to that conclusion and see for yourself if it was worth the journey or if something revealed itself to you.