Away We Go

Away We Go is something to be appreciated. It is a comedy (an indie comedy no less) that remembers it is a comedy the entire way through. There is no half-way, three-quarter's-way amnesia where the indie drama takes over and the whole time you were laughing seemed like another film. No, Away We Go stays steadily funny the whole way through, adding enough deep emotion to make the whole experience worthwhile, which is a combination few movies fully comprehend. Credit is mostly due to the stars: John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. The two defy their television character roles and avoid indie stereotypes, which finds them comfortable in their characters. The reason they pull this off so well? Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, the two who penned the screenplay. Without them, this would have been another typical indie com/dram that all of us have seen before. Luckily, we get something fresh out of Away We Go, and the perfectly timed soundtrack doesn't hurt at all. Sam Mendes, the big name director of the film, is the weakest link (though by no means bad at all, just in comparison), utilizing one too many obvious "indie shots" over the course of the film. When he isn't trying to pay homage to greater films, Mendes does a credible job. I guess I just needed something to pick on, as I found myself enjoying Away We Go far more than I thought I would. It's one of those things, having to complain about something because it might make the whole review more credible. But despite what I said above, I really enjoyed Mendes' work, and I don't have any real problem with "indie" anythings (in fact, I usually love them), it just can be overdone sometimes. But enough justifying, go see the movie.

Genre - Comedy (3.25)

Screenplay (3)
Acting (4)
Production (4)
Directing (2)