Perch Movie Review – Away We Go
Away We Go
Perch Score: 9.276/10
I loved this movie. There’s no other way to put it. And in a completely different way than my love for (500) Days of Summer. (500) Days of Summer was a love story we could all relate to. And for most of us that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. It was a love story we found ourselves relating to more of the bad parts than the good, but one we still loved none-the-less. Away We Go on the other hand is a unique story that we can relate to in theme, but one hardly any of us could relate to personally.
The Dave Eggers penned story feels like exactly that. Quirky, smart, and often times funny in the most uncomfortable of ways. Fans of Eggers’ numerous books should love the writing throughout this film and if you’ve never read an Eggers’ novel, definitely go pick up one asap. You Shall Know Our Velocity would be my suggestion. But Away We Go is the simple story of Burt and Verona; a 30 something couple about to have a baby, that decide to hit the road in search of the “perfect” place to raise their child.
Burt’s parents conveniently take a trip they’ve been planning for 15 years the month before the baby is born. The two people they purposely moved close to for the baby’s sake just up and leave, so the two come up with a list of place they either enjoyed in the past, or where friends and family reside, and “go away” on their little home finding adventure. You can imagine the friends and family they meet along the way at each stop is stranger than the last, but I loved every character in their own unique way, whether it be that they’re simply crazy, or the stories behind their lives we grow to learn. Eggers’ novels are full of memorable characters and even more memorable locations, and this movie shows that he’s at it again.
The theme of Away We Go is how powerful love can be between two people, and mainly how it gets people through tough times. Burt and Verona see these “tough times” front and center as they meet all their friends’ and family’s seemingly perfect lives, only to find they’re anything but. The more I think about the movie, its characters, and its overall themes, the more I love it. Normally I keep from getting carried away by throwing something like, “it’s not a movie for everyone, but…”, but this time around I think I can safely say I’d be surprised if anyone actually didn’t like it. Sure, you can not like some of the more essentric characters, but as a movie overall, it’s a story we can all relate to and with Eggers helping pen the script, and Oscar winning director Sam Mendes running things, it’s no wonder so many people have ended up loving it.
