The Last Movie I Saw

I'm tempted to say that Away We Go, directed by Sam Mendes, portrays real people, but of course that isn't really accurate, though it's a great accomplishment to make it appear that way. It's a very sweet movie without being cloying. The two characters at the center of the story (played by Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski, seen above) remain so grounded in their relationship that they are able to roll with the antics of the more out-there friends and family they contend with, even as they struggle to come to terms with the massive changes that will arrive with their coming baby. In other words, the core of the film is so solid that the more bizarre elements (like Maggie Gyllenhaal's nutsy professor) never overwhelm it, even as they provide a degree of comic relief. The payoff is that more serious scenes (I was especially impressed with the scene where we learn of another couples bad luck with pregnancies) retain their weight and never feel like they are bringing the movie down. It's a neat balancing act, and no surprise that a sharp director like Mendes pulls it off. It's probably the best movie I've seen so far this summer, and one that's likely to stay with me a lot longer than the likes of The Hangover.