When Burt (John Krasinski, JARHEAD) and Verona (Maya Rudolph, DUPLEX) discover they're pregnant, they take their unconventional lives on the lam and try to find an appropriate place to raise their child.
As many of you probably know, it's the journey, not the destination, that often makes for the most enjoyable parts. Which separates this film from other MEET THE FOCKERS-style movies where the protagonists find love and laughs with family and friends at a specific location and not necessarily on the journey.
Although there are other road trip movies out there (even old ones like THE LONG, LONG TRAILER, and TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES), this film stands out for one very vital reason: it's not about having a good time or heavy laughs. It's about growing up, growing old, and growing out. That's not to say there aren't comedic moments. There are plenty! Even from the get-go, you know you're in for something different. Burt and Verona aren't married, and as they have an intimate encounter (scene one), and Burt comments on Verona's "different taste", we watch her slap him when he even mentions the possibility of her being pregnant.
Jump ahead six months and we find them discovering that becoming a parent has many perilous decisions. Not the least of which is "Where to raise our kid." The ensuing road trip finds them landing on family, friends, and friends of their families' doorsteps. They try to find someplace that they feel comfortable, but every stop throws warning flags in their faces. New-age hippies who reject their own names ("LN" instead of Ellen). Parents who are so self-absorbed they don't even notice when they're hurting their children's feelings. Siblings who have absolutely no filters and are completely nuts. Friends who can't get pregnant and hate themselves for it. And the list goes on.
Amidst all these damaged people is one who hits a nerve with Verona: her sister Grace (Carmen Ojogo, PERFUME), who brings up their parent's early demise. It is a raw point in Verona's life that triggers memories she'd rather suppress. But when she learns she can't hide from the past, and that it is inextricably interwoven with her future, a short trip reveals the location where Verona and Burt always knew they'd end up ...they just didn't know it ...for while.
The film is really an independent flick. At only $17 million dollars to make, and produced by Big Beach Films (who also did EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED and SUNSHINE CLEANING), the film had a limited release but did exceptionally well (even getting five nominations at small award shows). Part of the film's success, no doubt, rests with the star appeal (Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Chris Messina, to name a few) and it's amazing director, Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) who doesn't do many films, but the ones he does are exceptional. And this one is no exception! Rent it. Buy it. Just watch it!
As many of you probably know, it's the journey, not the destination, that often makes for the most enjoyable parts. Which separates this film from other MEET THE FOCKERS-style movies where the protagonists find love and laughs with family and friends at a specific location and not necessarily on the journey.
Although there are other road trip movies out there (even old ones like THE LONG, LONG TRAILER, and TRAINS, PLANES, AND AUTOMOBILES), this film stands out for one very vital reason: it's not about having a good time or heavy laughs. It's about growing up, growing old, and growing out. That's not to say there aren't comedic moments. There are plenty! Even from the get-go, you know you're in for something different. Burt and Verona aren't married, and as they have an intimate encounter (scene one), and Burt comments on Verona's "different taste", we watch her slap him when he even mentions the possibility of her being pregnant.
Jump ahead six months and we find them discovering that becoming a parent has many perilous decisions. Not the least of which is "Where to raise our kid." The ensuing road trip finds them landing on family, friends, and friends of their families' doorsteps. They try to find someplace that they feel comfortable, but every stop throws warning flags in their faces. New-age hippies who reject their own names ("LN" instead of Ellen). Parents who are so self-absorbed they don't even notice when they're hurting their children's feelings. Siblings who have absolutely no filters and are completely nuts. Friends who can't get pregnant and hate themselves for it. And the list goes on.
Amidst all these damaged people is one who hits a nerve with Verona: her sister Grace (Carmen Ojogo, PERFUME), who brings up their parent's early demise. It is a raw point in Verona's life that triggers memories she'd rather suppress. But when she learns she can't hide from the past, and that it is inextricably interwoven with her future, a short trip reveals the location where Verona and Burt always knew they'd end up ...they just didn't know it ...for while.
The film is really an independent flick. At only $17 million dollars to make, and produced by Big Beach Films (who also did EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED and SUNSHINE CLEANING), the film had a limited release but did exceptionally well (even getting five nominations at small award shows). Part of the film's success, no doubt, rests with the star appeal (Jeff Daniels, Catherine O'Hara, Jim Gaffigan, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Chris Messina, to name a few) and it's amazing director, Sam Mendes (AMERICAN BEAUTY) who doesn't do many films, but the ones he does are exceptional. And this one is no exception! Rent it. Buy it. Just watch it!