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Away We Go: Happy to Come Along

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 14:15:09 -0700

Away We Go starts with a sex scene. There's no nudity, it's not overtly graphic, but it's unexpected and a bit jarring. It's certainly not the overture I was predicting. But just as I was starting to get uncomfortable, the moment becomes quite humorous. The hilarity of the scene is grounded in the screenplay (which was written by Dave Eggers and his wife Vendela Vida), but brought to life by John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph. Known for their respective work on The Office and Saturday Night Live, the duo's comedic chops may not come as a surprise, but here these two are playing it pretty straitlaced. It's this juxtaposition that makes the film so good - seeing funny people playing serious roles with serious situations that end up being funny.

It's a formula that's worked before. As I guessed from the trailer, the film is very similar in tone to Garden State and Juno. All three are quirky little gems with heavy subject matters and great soundtracks (seriously, check out Alexi Murdoch if you haven't already). If I had to fault the film with anything, it would be that it didn't feel particularly fresh, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable.

To learn more about the film, and its cool costars, read more.

The story follows Burt and Verona (Krasinski and Rudolph) on their quest to find a place to call home. They're about to have a baby and because Burt's proximately close parents (played by Jeff Daniels and the always hilarious Catherine O'Hara) are moving to Belgium, the two find themselves looking for someplace to live. Verona's parents are dead, so they decide to visit friends and relatives in various parts of North America and Canada where they could potentially set down roots. What ensues is a road story that finds the couple in Phoenix, Tucson, Madison, Montreal, and Miami.

Along the way we meet a variety of characters who run the gamut from looney and hilarious (specifically Allison Janney and Maggie Gyllenhaal's characters) to more subtle and subdued. And this goes back to the overall tone of the film: serious sprinkled with a dash of silly. It works most of the time, but occasionally the antics of Janney, Gyllenhaal, or O'Hara seem a little too far-fetched for what is ultimately a dramatic film. But these missteps are mostly forgivable as the actresses are so hysterically funny.

Then again, maybe these women's characters aren't supposed to be realistic or relatable. Maybe we're supposed to identify solely with Burt and Verona as they navigate through their journey. I certainly did. I also identified with the film's key message - that home is truly where the heart is. It's a refreshing idea coming from the director of the great but depressing American Beauty and Revolutionary Road.

Bottom Line: If you're looking to escape the typical Summer fare, Away We Go is a solid option.

Photo courtesy of Focus Features

Buzz Interview: John, Maya, and Sam Take It Away

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:30:37 -0700

I was giddy when I first heard about Away We Go, director Sam Mendes's quirky little film starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski. The movie's sweet trailer only increased my interest, so imagine my excitement upon getting the opportunity to interview Sam, Maya, and John. I sat down with the Oscar-winning director, SNL alum, and The Office star (on whom I admittedly have a bit of a crush) in San Francisco to chat about the film, which is already open in limited release.

The movie follows Burt (Krasinski) and Verona (Rudolph) as they travel across America in search of the perfect place to raise their unborn child. We journey with them as they visit different friends and family, picking up a few laughs and a lot of life lessons along the way. The trio had plenty to say about why they fell in love with the script, breaking out of TV roles, and lots more. Here are some highlights:

On Burt and Verona's relationship in the movie:

John: The thing I responded to most about the relationship is how perfect it was. And by that I mean both characters are dealing with the same world, the same cynical world that I think that we're all living through today. Especially for a time like now, the fact that you've heard the whole "love will conquer all" thing before but now you see it put into play in a real way, and not in a Romeo and Juliet way . . . I think that when you don't have a job and you're about to have a kid, all these real problems need real people and they need real best friends and they need real relationships. And that’s what I think I responded to most, it’s the relationship that I think, for the most part, most people have always wanted. . . . And that's what I thought was so great about the script, is not only did they show that it’s not unattainable, but it’s a lot simpler than we think.

There's more where that came from, so just read more.

Maya: I fell in love with Burt and Verona right away . . . I feel like they exist in this world because of each other. I loved how honest their relationship was in terms of how honest their love was that it wasn't trying to be some idea of romantic film love. That it was a real love that was bumpy, imperfect and weird, and it had stipulations about marriage and the baby was on its way and they weren't expecting it . . . I loved being a part of that, of the two of them on their own and then it branches out into them out in the world, and how you see them cope in the world, too.

On breaking free from their TV personas:

Maya: Well, luckily my television persona was a crazy person, so I don't know if anyone expected what was coming next. I’ve learned and I’ve seen this a lot with people who I’ve worked with on Saturday Night Live, that there really is an expectation of you to be that in everything that you do. And as wonderful as my relationship is with Saturday Night Live, as a human being and as an actor, there's even more inside my artillery and more inside me as a thinking, feeling human. It's really nice to be able to do other things, too. It’s never really turning my back on the world of comedy, or sketch comedy, or wigs for that matter, but just the opportunity to be able to do something else that’s closer to a real person like me, or a real girl, or a relationship.

John: I'd say that I'm in a rare position that The Office isn't really something you want to break out from. It's the best thing going. On top of that, I'm also really lucky to play a character on the show that I think is able to be funny sometimes but is probably the more realistic character of the bunch . . . I love comedy and I had never really gotten the opportunity to do something super dramatic but I had tried it a bit on the show, so it was really up to Sam to take a chance and say  "I want to go further with what I think you have to offer" and so I was really lucky to have that happen.

On the film's message:

John: In a more universal sense, it's really about that ability to find yourself, in a society that’s constantly trying to conform to whatever is going on now, or whatever's new, or whatever you parents did, or you need to make this amount of money to have a child. All those different things, even our characters are forced to think about where to live, but also bring in how are they gonna have a job, how are they gonna have all these other things that they do have to conform to, and how much of it will they conform to, and how much of it will be completely their own. Whether you bring in any political sense to it, it’s the same story at the end of the day, it’s "where do you belong?"

On how being a husband and father impacted the film:

Sam: One of the first things I thought about it when I first read it, that was kind of the magic about it, was that Dave [Eggers] and Vendela [Vida] had written it when they were pregnant with their first child. It had some of that magical period in it, where you’re on the precipice of a whole new life . . . I also recognized that there's a satirical line running through the whole movie about styles of parenting. And when you're a parent, you do watch other people’s parenting with different eyes . . . But you're also aware, as I think Burt and Verona are, that you are just as flawed as everyone else, you just have a different set of flaws. You're just a little less crazy than the really crazy ones. But there's no such thing as a perfect parent. You’re learning all the time, every day.

On making the transition from directing Revolutionary Road right into Away We Go:

Sam: It was actually really easy, because what I needed at the end of Revolutionary Road was a couple of laughs. It was a pleasure because, in a weird way, I’m not sure I would have been so certain I wanted to do Away We Go had I not just made Revolutionary Road. To state the obvious, they’re both movies about a couple that want to escape, but one of them can’t and that’s Revolutionary Road, and this one can . . . I'm not a bleak person by nature. I don’t believe that all men and women are destined to be apart and nothing can never work, and we're basically born to tragedy . . . So I felt the need to get out there and make a movie that was closer to the way I was thinking about the world I live in now, and this is it. I just happened to pick up that screenplay at the right time. And so for me it was just a pleasure from beginning to end.

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Movie Preview: Krasinski, Rudolph in Away We Go

BuzzSugar — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 06:30:48 -0700

Director Sam Mendes has gone from helming Revolutionary Road to Away We Go, yet another relationship-y film (though this one looks far less devastatingly sad than Revolutionary Road). Back when we first heard about this movie, I somehow assumed it would be a sort of light and happy comedy, but now that the trailer's out it more closely resembles something like Juno or Garden State. Except, you know, with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph in the lead roles.

Krasinski and Rudolph play a couple expecting their first child and who "travel around the U.S. in order to find a perfect place to start their family." A nice assortment of cool, random actors pop up in supporting roles, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, Jeff Daniels, Cheryl Hines and more. The movie will have a limited run starting June 5. To check out the adorably funny and touching trailer, read more.

Buzz News Roundup, 11/17

BuzzSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:30:27 -0800

Monk has been renewed for an eighth - and final - season. - Variety
ABC's official midseason schedule adds Scrubs and The Unusuals to Wednesdays - and drops Life on Mars and Pushing Daisies. - The Futon Critic
Aaron Eckhart will star in the action film Battle: Los Angeles. - ComingSoon
CBS has ordered more episodes of Gary Unmarried and Worst Week. - The Hollywood Reporter
Maya Rudolph will guest-star on Kath and Kim. - TV Guide
50 Cent's album release has been pushed to January. - Billboard
Nigel Lythgoe and Michael Flatley are bringing a new dance competition show to NBC. - Zap2it
NBC is developing a comedy based on the life of Criss Angel. - Variety

Photo courtesy of USA

Sam Mendes' "Relationship Comedy" Gets A Title - And Allison Janney!

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 10:35:53 -0700

Update: As of Dec. 9, this movie is officially titled Away We Go.

This project already had so much going for it: Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) directing, a script by Dave Eggers and his wife Vendela Vida, John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph playing the lead characters and Toni Collette recently cast in a supporting role. Now, the previously untitled "relationship comedy" has gotten a title - and Allison Janney!

In the tentatively titled This Must Be the Place, Janney will play "a loud, brassy, decidedly un-PC woman who admittedly has a few screws loose. She reunites with a former employee in Phoenix, where the expectant mother/employee (Rudolph) begins a tour of the country with her husband (Krasinski) to find the best place to raise their child."

Now, while I still can't wait for Mendes' adaptation of Revolutionary Road starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, I'm also insanely curious to see how he does with this comedic material and phenomenal cast. Also in Janney's future is a role in an Eddie Murphy movie A Thousand Words in which she'll play Murphy's boss, "a savvy, money-grubbing head of a literary agency."

Source

Rewind: This Week's Buzz

BuzzSugar — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 07:00:00 -0800

I'm getting excited for the HBO miniseries about John Adams based on the preview clips I've seen. Speaking of miniseries news, NBC recently announced that Mira Sorvino and Victor Garber will star in one about the Knights Templar. The network also scored some big names for its horror and suspense anthology series.
I had a great time at the Noise Pop festival last weekend, going to see some of my favorite bands and discovering new acts.
There were a lot of music divas in the news this week. I dared you to pick a favorite Madonna album and wondered if Whitney Houston could make a comeback.

Do you think there are some famous people who shouldn't get a biopic? Notorious B.I.G is getting one, and they found the guy to play him via the internet.
The title of "bad idea of the week" goes to the High School Musical reality TV show. Great idea of the week: casting Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski opposite each other in a rom-com.
Fear not, Gossip Girl will return! We're also going to get another CW show about really rich people. Tell me, have you had your fill of this income bracket?
Woo-hoo! 10,000 B.C. is coming out! OK, so I'm not really as excited about that movie as I am about Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day. But 10,000 B.C. did provide an excellent photo for my caption contest.

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Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski: Best Rom-Com Duo . . . Ever?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:30:47 -0800

When reading this casting news today, I got the eerie feeling that someone out there overheard my silent prayers for there to be a) more lead roles for talented female comedians, b) more funny film opportunities for John Krasinski, and c) more promising light-hearted movies in 2008. Now, the hilarious SNL star Maya Rudolph has been paired with Krasinski and given the lead role in a relationship-themed comedy. Amen!

Variety reports that the untitled film will be directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Revolutionary Road) and "follows an expectant couple (Krasinski, Rudolph) as they travel the country in search of a place to put down roots and raise a family." Other fun facts about this project: Cheryl Hines will co-star, and the screenplay was written by Dave Eggers and his his wife, novelist Vendela Vida.

With Baby Mama starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler on the way to theaters this Spring and now this news about Rudolph, I'm overjoyed that some of my favorite female comedians are no longer relegated to goofy best-friend sidekick roles. These are the actresses that I find more interesting and relatable as leading ladies, especially compared to some of what we've seen this year. Are you guys as excited for this as I am?

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Link Time! 9/25

BuzzSugar — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 14:30:08 -0700

Got a question for Mandy Moore? She'll be appearing on iVillage's "In the Loop" show tomorrow, so send in your questions for Mandy now!
NBC has blogs from Josh Schwartz on "Chuck," Tim Kring and Jack Coleman on "Heroes," and Kevin Falls on "Journeyman."
Perhaps you can think of a better caption than Popwatch's for this photo of Brad Pitt and his nosebleed on the set of Burn After Reading.
BuddyTV mulls why "Smallville" is advertising Supergirl so much.
Stereogum has a track from Joni Mitchell's first album in 10 years.
According to Cinematical, Rachel Weisz and Chloe Sevigny are battling it out for a role in Terminator 4.
TV Filter kept track of all the great stunts on the season premiere of "The Bachelor."
Idolator tested out Amazon's new mp3 download store.
Maya Rudolph may or may not be returning to "Saturday Night Live." TV Guide's Ausiello is still trying to sort it all out.

Source

Movie Preview: Adam Sandler and Chris Rock in Grown Ups

BuzzSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 11:30:36 -0800

I've been watching over the past several months as the cast roster for Grown Ups continued to add more of Adam Sandler's previous SNL colleagues and close friends - Tim Meadows, Maya Rudolph, Colin Quinn. It's like he decided to make a project where he could invite everyone he knows to jump on board and have fun. And the cast really does appear to be having a good time in the trailer - I'm just not 100 percent sure I'm right there with them.

The film follows Sandler and his childhood friends (Kevin James, Chris Rock, Rob Schneider, David Spade) as they reunite one Fourth of July weekend to honor the death of their basketball coach. Sounds kinda like The Big Chill, but as to be expected with a Happy Madison film, it's ridiculously slapstick. I love all of these guys, but the bits in this teaser definitely aren't as roll-on-the-floor funny as I had hoped with such a star-studded cast. (Really, a breast-milk joke?!) But maybe I'm just judging it too quickly. The film opens in June, but take a peek at the video and tell me your thoughts when you read more.

What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday

BuzzSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:30:24 -0700

All of the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays. So each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I sort through the best of the batch and tell you what to add to your queue. In addition to the movies below, there's also Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience and Madonna's directorial debut Filth and Wisdom. Check out this week's picks!

Away We Go

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph star as an expecting, road-tripping couple in this indie comedy drama directed by Sam Mendes. I loved the quirky humor that came from not only the leads, but a star-studded cast of supporting characters played by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jeff Daniels, Alison Janney, and Catherine O'Hara. It may not be as laugh-out-loud as the two leads' usual work, but if you're looking for a sweetly funny flick you may like Away We Go. The DVD and Blu-ray have a making-of featurette, a commentary track, and a behind-the-scenes feature about how the filmmakers tried to make the production more environmentally friendly.

66%

See two more new releases when you read more.

Management

Jennifer Aniston stars as an everyday gal in the comedy Management. Steve Zahn is the shy hotel manager who meets and falls in love with her immediately, and Woody Harrelson is the has-been boyfriend he's trying to woo her away from. It's not the straightforward romantic comedy you'd expect from Aniston, which I don't mind at all, and Zahn's so adorable he can make stalker-like behavior seem OK. On the DVD are a commentary track, a gag reel, and deleted scenes.

44%

Monsters vs. Aliens

Monsters vs. Aliens boasts the vocal stylings of Reese Witherspoon as Susan Murphy, a woman who's hit by a meteor and turns into a giant as a result. The 3D movie from Dreamworks is definitely kid-friendly fare, but I tend to enjoy modern animated movies like this, especially when they also have the voices of Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Will Arnett, Rainn Wilson, Hugh Laurie, and Stephen Colbert. The DVD and Blu-ray discs have tons of special features, like music videos, deleted scenes, and the technology behind the movie.

72%