Pretty negative review for Sam Mendes' new film just posted in Variety (not from Cannes; this opens in a couple weeks):

Away We Go
A Focus Features release of a Focus Features presentation in association with Big Beach of an Edward Saxon/Big Beach production in association with Neal Street Prods. Produced by Edward Saxon, Marc Turtletaub, Peter Saraf. Executive producers, Mari Jo Winkler-Ioffreda, Pippa Harris. Directed by Sam Mendes. Screenplay, Dave Eggers, Vendela Vida.

Burt - John Krasinski
Verona - Maya Rudolph
Gloria - Catherine O'Hara
Jerry - Jeff Daniels
Grace - Carmen Ejogo
Lily - Allison Janney
Lowell - Jim Gaffigan
LN - Maggie Gyllenhaal
Roderick - Josh Hamilton
Tom - Chris Messina
Munch - Melanie Lynskey
Courtney - Paul Schneider


By DENNIS HARVEY

"Away We Go" reps a digression into loose, anecdotal Amerindie-style terrain after helmer Sam Mendes' starrier, more high-stakes screen projects. But this episodic dramedy -- starring tube familiars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as a rudderless couple seeking a place to call home while on the brink of parenthood -- emerges as an oddly sour, unappealing road-trip scenario. Penned by first-time scribes, alt-lit favorites and real-life spouses Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, pic will likely find some defenders, particularly among the authors' fans. Still, its theatrical career launching June 5 looks to be short, with ancillary prospects modest.
Burt (Krasinski of NBC's "The Office") and Verona ("Saturday Night Live's" Rudolph) are expecting their first child in rural Colorado, a habitat chosen for his parents' proximity. (Hers died in an accident years earlier.) But blithe, self-absorbed Jerry (Jeff Daniels) and Gloria (Catherine O'Hara) suddenly announce they're whimsically moving to Belgium -- no matter that they'll miss their grandchild's birth.

This prompts the younger pair, having no friends, no job obligations (both are long-distance freelancers), to pack up and look for somewhere more suitable to live. They embark on a complicated flight itinerary to see old pals and explore potential new nesting places.

First stop is Phoenix, to see Verona's former co-worker Lily (Allison Janney), husband Lowell (Jim Gaffigan) and their two children. But Lily has turned into such a vulgar, abusive gorgon that spouse and kids have retreated into gloomy withdrawal.

After a brief Tucson visit with Verona's well-adjusted sister Grace (Carmen Ejogo), it's on to another example of domestic hell: Burt's childhood friend Ellen aka LN (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is a smugly superior U. of Wisconsin Women's Studies prof with a fawning, ponytailed layabout common-law husband (Josh Hamilton) and a son who still sleeps with them.

A seg in Montreal culminates in a bizarre stab at poignancy, while a quick Miami side-trip to see Burt's distraught brother (Paul Schneider) prompts the pic's best scene, a quiet tete-a-tete between the leads that sets up the pic's low-key (if a little over-convenient) ending.

Burt's a bit immature, and Verona, the grown-up of the couple, occasionally impatient (partly explained by the discomforts of advanced pregnancy). But the protags are essentially blank slates, despite the skill and charm Krasinski and Rudolph bring to the roles. It's their job simply to represent "normal" against so many illustrations of bad parenting, worse marriages and damaged adulthood. But given they're such harmlessly pleasant folk, why don't they have any non-messed-up friends?

Because that would un-stack the deck in a script that needs to paint them as two lonely souls in a hostile world. But in positing normal as special, the pic requires caricaturing almost everyone else.

While handled by resourceful actors, the foibles of the supporting characters are less funny than they are forced and unpleasant. Janney and Gyllenhaal in particular play figures venomously conceived.

Meant to amp up the pic's indie-quirky cred, the soundtrack, papered with lyrically trite soundalike cuts by Scottish singer-songwriter Alexi Murdoch, instead makes progress seem more meandering and monotonous. Other design/tech contributions are solid. Still, this alternately condescending and hazy material doesn't trigger the kind of sharp aesthetic choices Mendes and collaborators made in response to past projects from "American Beauty" to "Revolutionary Road."

"Away" is billed as the first studio production adopting green filmmaking initiatives to reduce CO2 emissions.

Camera (color, Panavision), Ellen Kuras; editor, Sarah Flack; music, Alexi Murdoch; music supervisor, Randall Poster; production designer, Jess Gonchor; costume designer, John Dunn; art director, Henry Dunn; set decorator, Lydia Marks; sound (Dolby Digital/DTS), Ben Patrick; supervising sound editor, Paul Hsu; assistant directors, Timothy Bird, Jennifer Truelove; casting, Ellen Lewis, Debra Zane. Reviewed at Sony Metreon, San Francisco, April 28, 2009. MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 97 MIN.

I <3 Krasinski and Rudolph. I hope better reviews come out soon. They both deserve to star in a great film.

H'wood Reporter at least likes the performances

Film Review: Away We Go
By Michael Rechtshaffen, May 22, 2009 02:53 ET

"Away We Go"
Bottom Line: Terrific performances make this tender if slight little film worth the trip.
For the second time in the past six months, director Sam Mendes has come out with a film probing the anatomy of a relationship.

But "Away We Go," starring "Saturday Night Live" alum Maya Rudolph and "The Office" regular John Krasinski as an expectant young couple grappling with where to put down roots, shares little else in common with "Revolutionary Road."

The former has a much airier, freer vibe in contrast to the studied claustrophobia of the latter.

Despite the lightness of tone and lively turns by the likes of Allison Janney, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Catherine O'Hara, the soul-searching trip taken by its leads is not without the occasional overly purposeful bump in the road.

Even as summer counterprogramming, the Focus Features release could find it tricky luring its targeted female demographic away from such higher-profile openings as "My Life in Ruins" and, potentially, "The Hangover."

A first-time feature collaboration between novelists Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, "Away We Go" traces the geographical/spiritual journey undertaken by the introspective, six-months-pregnant Verona (Rudolph) and goofy Burt (Krasinski), who are trying to determine the best place to call home after his folks (O'Hara and Jeff Daniels) have announced they're leaving Colorado for Belgium.

Included among the stops on the itinerary is Phoenix, home to Verona's former business colleague, the wildly inappropriate Lily (a wildly appropriate Janney); then it's off to Tucson to visit her sister, Grace (Carmen Ejogo), uncertain as to where her own relationship is headed.

Next comes Wisconsin, where Burt's close family friend Ellen (the always-welcome Gyllenhaal) has become the totally Zen "LN" after hooking up with the smug Roderick (Josh Hamilton); and a stopover in Montreal, where Verona's former classmates Tom (Chris Messina) and Munch (Melanie Lynskey) preside over a seemingly joyful household of adopted children.

Obviously each destination offers a snapshot of the various challenges inherent in carving out the family unit one would like to create as opposed to the family into which one was born.
But though it's nice to see Mendes take a looser, not quite so studied approach to his filmmaking, some stops along the way -- like a detour to visit Burt's suddenly single brother (Paul Schneider) -- feel dramatically off-course.

Production values have a nice, grassroots texture, including Ellen Kuras' cinematography and John Dunn's costume design, though musically the film could have packed a bit lighter where the extensive and occasionally intrusive acoustic song selection is concerned.

The acting is getting good notices but it looks like Mendes is trying too hard to make an "American Indie Film" (it is so sad that its a brand now) It is fantastic that Maya Rudolph is getting a lead role.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: puxzkkx,

The trailer just makes me smile and some of my favorite actors are in the film (O'Hara, Daniels, Janney), so I'm a bit disappointed with the film, although not really surprised with Mendes at the helm. It's been quite a while since anything of his has grabbed me.

This film just expanded to my area so i was able to finally see it. I have to say I LOVED it. Were there some flaws? Yeah...especially with the tone and pacing. HOWEVER, the performances by Krasinski & Rudolph were GREAT, IMO; and the film was really funny throughout.

At this point I personally would put their names in the "should be at least mentioned for nominations" category...but I fully realize there are a lot of films/performances that will knock them out of any possible contention (plus the film doesn't have a lot of buzz). I do hope that they can be remembered come Golden Globes time though since Comedy/Musical Actor/Actress should be a little easier to get into.

Away We Go

Wow! I LOVED this movie! I am hard pressed to find anything bad to say about it.
I was excited to watch John Krasinski but was unsure when I saw Maya Rudolph's name. I couldn't really remember her in anything other than SNL.
I thought they were so good together and loved that I was surprised by her work.
I think the performances by the supporting female cast really stood out as well. Allison Janney was hilarious! Maggie Gyllenhaal looked beautiful and was perfectly crazy. I do happen to agree with some of her "crazy" parenting ideas tho. lol
Melanie Lynskey always sticks in my head as Rose from Two and a Half Men. I loved watching her play Munch Garnett. Warmed and broke my heart all at once. Chris Messina playing her husband Tom was equally lovely.

I loved the writing. Somehow I think I could feel the process they went through writing this together. I thought about this when John and Maya are on the trampoline making their promises.... like each of them when writing were exchanging the dialogue and writing it down. I dunno....just how it made me feel.

I also think these actors didn't get there all on their own. I think they were brilliantly directed. It wasn't just an ensemble cast but ensemble work. Made me think and swell with emotion. Even made my hubby come over with a kiss and an I love you. That's gotta be good right?

*sigh*
As usual no grade for me.... just an I LOVED it!

I've seen this kind of movie many times but as usual I was charmed by the performances. Rudolph and Krasinski are a wonderful pair and I would be remiss if I did not mention the "in your face" performance from Alison Janey.

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My basic reaction to Away We Go is that the baby should be taken away from those narcissistic self-indulgent parents before more harm was done to him/her and they should be forbidden from further reproduction.

I found them and the whole movie repellent. Sam Mendes is clueless about what America between the coasts is like; fortunately with this being a flop (and after Rev Rd) fewer producers are going to risk giving him money to repeat the same mistake.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

I'll agree that the volume was turned way up to make the other parents look bad but I did not John and Maya's characters to be self-indulgent at all.

I will agree with you on one thing flynn: "Pete Campbell" did not rape that nanny on "Mad Men."

This message has been edited. Last edited by: FishBiscuit,

I've been young and pregnant and trying to figure it out to.
I didn't find them to be self indulgent at all.

This movie was far from a mistake and I hope he gets loads of cash to make another movie I might also love!

Sam Mendes is only forty five; he's married to Kate Winslet and already has an Oscar win. He's got five films in production and will probably not have too much trouble picking up a distributor for any or all of them.

I think you're safe funky.

The couple were stand ins for Sam Mendes - they were the cool ones, running around and finding everyone else below their standards and to be ridiculed and disdained, just like Mendes treats his characters.

The Coen Bros often do the same thing, but at least they have some real talents as writers and directors.

It is funny to me that you think Verona and Burt were cool. Far from it. Burt wasa huge dork!
I don't think they looked at any of the other parents they encountered as below standard. They encountered parenting styles and situations that just weren't right for them.
Did LN not look at them with disdain and ridicule for not agreeing with her style of parenting. She seemed to hold herself quite above other people.

There was a lot of talent shown here in both the writing and directing. I'm sorry you can't or won't see that.

I don't think they were cool. They thought they were cool and special.

Omg no they didn't. They thought they were f*ck ups. Very early in the movie they say it several times. Which is why they go on the journey that they do.

Tony Scott of the NYTimes in the first four paragraphs of his review dispels that notion:


Are we screw-ups? Verona wonders aloud. (I’m paraphrasing.) She and her boyfriend, Burt, expecting their first child, live in a ramshackle, poorly heated house and drive a boxy old Volvo. They are maybe a little scruffy, but they seem, objectively, to be doing all right, with jobs that don’t require them to go to work and a relationship that looks tender and durable.

Verona’s question may or may not be disingenuous, but the answer provided by “Away We Go,” the slack little road comedy in which it arises, is unambiguous. Far from being screw-ups, Verona and Burt, played with passive-aggressive winsomeness by Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, are manifestly superior to everyone else in the movie and, by implication, the world.

And even though they express themselves with a measure of diffidence, it’s clear that they are acutely, at times painfully, aware of their special status as uniquely sensitive, caring, smart and cool beings on a planet full of cretins and failures.

The smug self-regard of this movie, directed by Sam Mendes from a script by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, takes a while to register, partly because Ms. Rudolph and Mr. Krasinski are appealing and unaffected performers and partly because the writing has some humor and charm. The opening scene, which finds the couple in bed, is disarmingly sweet and candid in its depiction of the sexual rapport of longtime lovers. There is real intimacy and affection between them, which is wonderful until, before too long, it becomes as insufferable as the songs by Alexi Murdoch, which similarly wear out their rueful, faux-naïve welcome.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: seanflynn,

A scene, early on in the film dispels any notion that Burt and Verona thought they were above it all. Burt, speaking to a client, is given a look by Verona that says why are you talking that way? Burt knows he is not the coolest guy in the world, he's fine with it as is Verona. Tony Scott, or anyone else for that matter, has yet prove these people were pompous and judgmental even though the film sets them up to be that way.

Obviously it is open to personal interpretation, but I also didn't get that they thought they were "above" any of the other characters. Like someone else said they encountered different styles of parenting/living that weren't for them. Just because something doesn't gel with how you would do it doesn't mean you necessarily think it is beneath you. I think Verona & Burt recognized their own problems and I thought the film maker used some of the issues the other couples had as a way to highlight areas that V&B had strengths in thus kind of justifying them being able to handle having a kid (which I gathered is what the couple struggled with in the movie)...but I in no way saw that they thought themselves to be too "cool"

I had some problems with the film but overall loved it mostly because of the performances...but this issue wasn't one of them

Here's the thing Sean.
I don't need an outside source to back my opinion. Art is subjective. I happen to disagree with the you on the points that we have been speaking about. I am a mature adult with my own thoughts and opinions. I don't need anyone else sharing my opninion to make my feelings about the movie valid and worthy.
By the sounds of that review you posted everything you told me came straight from that.
I tend to avoid reviews. I watch what I want to watch and love and hate what I do because I formed my opninion myself after watching it, regardless of how anyone else feels.