7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.9 |
Anticipating the birth of their first child, longtime couple Burt and Verona embark on an ambitious itinerary to visit friends and family in order to find their perfect home.
Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Jeff Daniels, Carmen Ejogo, Jim GaffiganComedy | 100% |
Drama | 61% |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS 5.1
Spanish: DTS 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
BD-Live
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
My favorite filmmakers are those who defy expectation; talented visionaries who, for better or worse, experiment with the medium and find new, fertile ground to tell fresh, unpredictable tales. Filmmakers like Sam Mendes. In his feature film debut, American Beauty, he skewered middle class American values and dreams, nabbing eight Oscar nominations and five statues in the process (including Best Director and Best Picture). In Road to Perdition, a powerful film adapted from an obscure graphic novel, he transformed Tom Hanks into a Depression-era hitman struggling to connect with his young son. In Jarhead, a dark dramedy released two years after the US invasion of Iraq, he focused on the inherent contradictions of war and the stress such contradictions place on a combatant. In Revolutionary Road he turned on passion and privilege, challenging viewers with a pair of self-absorbed narcissists in the midst of a disintegrating marriage. Mendes' latest film represents yet another departure for the award-winning director. A complete tonal 180 from his DiCaprio/Winslet gut-punch, Away We Go explores the depths of genuine love, the fears faced by soon-to-be parents, and the allure of that fabled place all young couples long to find: home.
To destinations known and unknown...
Away We Go features a tempered yet effective 1080p/VC-1 transfer that graciously compliments the somber tone of Burt and Verona's journey. In Arizona, sweltering oranges simmer alongside earthy browns without flushing faces or exacting cruel, summery revenge on Ellen Kuras' cinematography. In Montreal, absorbing shadows and breathtaking city lights mingle for a beautiful night on the town, granting a dinner date hopeful hues and a nightclub visit sobering greens and reds. In Miami, Kuras' seemingly disconnected palette finds balance with clean colors, natural skintones, and remarkable blacks. It's all quite striking. Fine detail waxes and wanes a bit, but I attribute every instance of softness I noticed to Mendes' intentions, not the technical presentation. Still, textures are generally refined (particularly in close-ups), edges are admirable, and depth is rewarding. More importantly, I didn't detect any significant artifacting, banding, noise, aliasing, or ringing. All things considered, Away We Go looks great.
Away We Go isn't teeming with explosions or car chases; it doesn't offer snazzy directional effects or a rousing soundtrack. Mendes doesn't amp up his cross-country ambience or shock listeners with sudden sonic surges, and Alexi Murdoch's music is little more than a soothing breath on the back of Mendes' gentle breeze. Even so, Universal's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is an impressive one, not because it enhances the film's subdued sound design, but because it embraces it with such faithful devotion and satisfying proficiency. Dialogue is warm and intelligible, prioritization is spot on, and every line -- from Verona's quietest whisper to Burt's hilarious midair outbursts -- is perfectly clear. Rear speaker activity is quite subtle, but convincing interior acoustics and immersive environmental ambience more than make up for the inherently restrained mix. LFE output is passive as well but, considering the nature of the film, more aggressive support would have been a complete distraction. Ultimately, anyone approaching Away We Go with appropriate expectations will be thoroughly pleased with the results.
The Blu-ray edition of Away We Go arrives with the same supplemental package as its DVD counterpart. The meatiest extra is a breezy, witty, and engaging Audio Commentary with director Sam Mendes and writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. The trio discusses the genesis of the project, its screenplay, its characters, the casting process, and more. The details and anecdotes provided won't blow anyone's mind, and Krasinski and Rudolph are sorely missed, but the track doesn't disappoint. Next up, a pair of unremarkable featurettes: The Making of Away We Go, a rather standard sixteen-minute EPK that tends to gloss over most anything of note, and Green Filmmaking, a seven-minute look at the filmmakers' efforts to run an environmentally conscious production. Universal's usual "My Scenes" bookmarking feature and basic BD-Live Functionality round out the underwhelming package.
Away We Go may not be for everyone, but I fell in love with Burt and Verona, so much so that I found myself wishing more cinematic couples were as genuine, affectionate, and believable. Universal churns out yet another solid Blu-ray release, this time with an excellent video transfer, a subtle but strong DTS-HD Master Audio offering, and a decent smattering of special features. While a rental is in order for anyone who hasn't seen the film, fans will be quite happy with the studio's efforts.
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