Moon Minis - Away We Go

Away We Go

John Krasinski (The Office) and Maya Rudolph (Saturday Night Live) team up for slightly more serious roles than their past characters in Sam Mendes' indie dramady about a couple in search of the perfect home for their new baby, which they weren't exactly ready for. Krasinski and Rudolph are believable as a couple, and their characters are sweet and sour enough to make a struggling relationship work on-screen.

The two jump from state to state (and sometimes country), finding people on the way to help them in their resolve to have the baby. The thing is, it seems both characters know a lot of people who are parents with philosophical advice to give on the matter. It's a bit unrealistic, especially when Krasinski is subject to a few emotional tirades from the secondary cast members, but it also becomes some of the most rewarding parts of the film. Mendes has become attuned to where the hard and soft of the films need to be combined, and in Away We Go, the tender bits are widely interspersed with some very funny comedy.

It's a blessing that Away We Go is so funny, because many comedies in this vein have trouble lifting the jokes above small chuckles. But the quirks of every character had me laughing out loud, not because the comedy was so exaggerated but because the outstanding work of the actors had me laughing at the subtle nuances of the cast. Jeff Daniels, with only a small role, does a superb (marvelous!) job as Krasinski's father whose love of adjectives exceeds even my own.

The end may drop the comedy shtick for more of the serious nature we expect, but it never wavers in its ability to affect the viewer. As Krasinski and Rudolph reach their home, hoping it works for them, Rudolph exclaiming, "I really fucking hope so," so too do we. We've been on this journey, we've seen its ups and downs for good people. And in essence, they are we. Eventually, away we all go.

Away We Go on Rotten Tomatoes