DVD - Away We Go

Sam Mendes has left a bad taste in my mouth. American Beauty was a good film, but I didn't think it was amazing. Road To Perdition was good the first time I saw it, but never held my interest on attempted second viewings. I was bored to death with Jarhead (which friends have tried to convince me is the point, but I'm not buying it), and Revolutionary Road was probably a very revolutionary story, when the book was published 50 years ago. Now, I feel like we've seen, almost, this exact same movie a dozen times. When Away We Go came out, I really just did not feel interested at all, and missed it in theaters, but people kept raving about it. I picked it up, and, I have to say, I've finally found a Mendes film I can really stand behind.

The film stars John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph as domestic partners, Burt and Verona. After his parents decide to move to Europe, the two decide that, without any type of family anchor left (her parents are dead and her sister lives in another state), they should travel to some of the cities they have always wanted to live in and figure out where they would like to move to. On their journey, we're introduced to various friends and their dysfunctions. These situations often cause tension between Burt and Verona, but also help them discover themselves and what they want for their future.

The film was simple, funny, well directed and subtly acted, and had a great soundtrack. Mendes not only directed something I enjoyed, but he made a film that I wish I had made. Away We Go reminded me of the kinds of films that I had gotten into filmmaking to make. I guess that may be a bias on my part, but everyone has the kinds of films they like.