Away We Go

What a pleasant surprise. I love it when a movie exceeds my expectations. Away We Go is the story of a couple who gets pregnant, and now in their mid thirties must face the prospect of growing up. When their current home is taken from them, they realize that they could live anywhere in the world that they want, so they set off on a journey visiting old friends and relatives auditioning towns as a possible new home.

Although I loved the chemistry between John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph, who were excellent, I especially enjoyed the friends and relatives they met along the way. It reminds me of the concept, the grass is always greener. We always think that other people have it together, that they have it all figured out. But when you get a chance to see behind the curtain, we see, like Dorothy, that the wizard is just a man.

Away We Go is full of great supporting roles. I was touched by Melanie Lynskey’s soulful performance and Maggie Gyllenhaal cracked me up. Alison Janney was also hysterical as an insensitive, obnoxious mom.

This film does a tremendous job of blending truly touching moments with insightful comic ones. I felt that the tone was pitch-perfect throughout. I found myself smiling often in this film and when it was over I still wanted to hang out. What a delightful, pleasant, surprise.

Rating: First Run If this couple was real I’d want to hang out with them