Directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty), Away We Go (2009), is the hysterical and heartfelt story of a couple about to have their first child. Mendes is able to deftly mix serious storylines with lighter ones, and manages to create a film which is serious and touching at times, but still manages to be a light comedy filled with several laugh-out-loud moments.
Burt Farlander (John Krasinski) and Verona De Tessant (Maya Rudolph), are going to have their first child in three short months, and, at that point, learn that Burt's parents (Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara) – the only ties the two have to where they live – are moving out of the country. Not wanting to raise their child without any family or friends nearby, the two venture off to see various places around the country (and Canada) where they do know people in order to determine if one of those places is right for them.
While Burt and Verona, both being played by exceedingly funny actors, are humorous characters in and of themselves, they are nothing compared to those they meet on their trip. The film is populated with well-known actors and actresses who are at their top of their game playing some truly off the wall characters.
In Phoenix, Burt and Verona encounter an ex-co-worker of Verona's, Lily, played by Allison Janney, and Lily's husband, Lowell, played by Jim Gaffigan. Looking for an example of a couple raising a happy family, what they instead encounter are a loud-mouthed woman who refuses to censor anything she thinks of, including several odd, offensive, and insensitive remarks about her children.
Perhaps though, the best of the supporting roles is played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. She is LN, a professor and a childhood friend of Burt's. Well off and without a care in the world, she and her husband Roderick (Josh Hamilton) have opted for an exceptionally non-traditional way of raising their children. Their hatred of strollers represents the tip of the iceberg, as, in addition to other things, she and Roderick, who share a bed with their children, believe in not hiding their sexual activities from their kids. Yes, were Mendes to deal with LN and Roderick in a serious manner, the two would be incredibly disturbing, but dealt with solely on a comedic level, the insanity exhibited by the two comes off as some of the funniest moments in the film.
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