Away We go

Maya Rudolf, from SNL, and John Krasinski, of The Office, star as Verona and Burt, a live-in couple who are about to have a baby. Burt realizes that Verona is pregnant before she does, and let's just say he determines this in a way quite different from any drugstore test. When Burt's close by parents announce they'll be moving to Belgium, the kids figure they can now live anywhere since they've lost the potential babysitters anyway. Time for a road trip to pick the perfect town for them and their upcoming baby. The rest of the film is basically just a series of vignettes, as the traveling couple decide to spend time with family and friends scattered across the USA and Canada, as they try to determine who they want to live near. Actually after meeting these family and friends I wouldn't be surprised if they decided to leave the North American continent altogether. Some are out and out hysterical, such as Allison Janney, and in her small role is really quite a highlight. Some are just sad, like their friends in Canada who adopt kids faster than you can say Mia Farrow, but can't seem to make one of their own. Maggie Gyllenhaal is as annoying as she is funny as a new "agey" mom who won't use a stroller because she doesn't want to push her son "away" from her. Regardless of their attributes or faults, you wouldn't want to be too close to any of them. The two leads are both earnest and likable, and it's obvious that their commitment to each other is real. The film was directed by Sam Mendes, and he makes the best out of situations that are more than somewhat contrived. The film was enjoyable though up to a point, and since much of the story is told vignette style you may love some parts greater that the story as a whole.

Rating - 2 1/2