Picket Fence Post

There’s this new film that’s recently been released and I’m in a quandary about it. It’s directed by Sam Mendes, the guy who directed last year’s major downer, 1950s-era Revolutionary Road  starring the wonderful Kate Winslet. I went into that film with big expectations, seeing that I’m such a Winslet fan, plus I was suckered in by the trailer. However as much as I wanted to, alas, I absolutely did not like the film. Hated the ending. And whenever I looked at Leonardo DiCaprio playing the thirtysomething suburban dad who takes the train into the city to work, I just kept thinking, “He’s no Don Draper.” (For the uninitiated few, Don Draper is the lead character – played by Jon Hamm – on the amazing AMC drama Mad Men.)

There were people in the theater watching Revolutionary Road with The Spouse and me, fellow suburban dwellers, who were laughing out loud at parts that were NOT funny, or at least they weren’t intended to be gut-busters. Afterwards, while I was in the restroom, a couple of women, friends I’m guessing, who’d seen the film spied The Spouse waiting in the hall and told him they felt sorry that he’d had to sit through it. One remarked, “My husband would kill me if I made him go see this.”

Hence my hesitation with Mendes’ new film, Away We Go, about a thirtysomething, unmarried and unmoored couple who are about to become first-time parents. After learning that the man’s parents are moving to another country, the couple decides they need to find the best location in which to raise their baby and, perhaps, be in close proximity to some family and friends. Their journey takes them to visit said friends and family all over the place where they observe all variety of parenting styles and attitudes, from completely laissez faire to some serious attachment parenting. It stars The Office’s John Krasinski and Saturday Night Live’s Maya Rudolph.

Although it’s garnered mixed reviews, I’m still tempted to see it because I don’t think I can rely on the movie reviewers, seeing as though they’re the ones who convinced me to go see Revolutionary Road in the first place. The Spouse and I don’t get to go out to many movies together, so I want to chose which films I see on the silver screen and blow babysitting money on wisely.

Has anyone seen it and if so, what did you think?

Are therea ny films to which you’ve had to literally drag your spouse and later regretted it? (Link to the film trailer here.)