Apr 22

Apr 22 Away We Go (2009)

Away We Go is a pleasant enough film, mildly humorous, but I really wanted to like it more than I did. John Krasinski does a good job, bringing a geniality and likability to his character, and Maya Rudolph turns in a remarkably fine performance in her first major role. The problem lies in the parade of dysfunctional characters whose lives they run through; while occasionally comedic, the deliberate quirkiness feels contrived and undermines the reality of the story. The usually reliable Sam Mendes, director of 1999 Best Picture American Beauty, lacks the right touch here, not quite able to balance out the light and heavy moments of the main characters’ journeys. Not really bad, but not particularly good either.