DVD Review: Revolutionary Road: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet: Movies & TV
DVD Review: Revolutionary Road: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet: Movies & TV
Amazon.com
In Revolutionary Road, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunite for the first time since their careers exploded with Titanic–and it’s almost as if they’re playing the same characters, only married and faced with the hollowness of a 1950s suburban existence. Frank and April Wheeler (DiCaprio and Winslet) always thought of themselves as special, but they settled in a conventional Connecticut suburb when they had children. Hungry for a less constricted life, April persuades Frank to move to Paris–but slowly their plans unravel and their marriage unravels along with it. While Revolutionary Road may be a bit too glib about suburban emptiness–the lives Frank and April lead don’t seem so stifled–the portrait of a mismatched marriage is vivid and devastating. The ways that Frank and April misinterpret each other, and the subtle yet unbearable dissatisfaction they feel, is rendered with remarkable and unsettling acuteness. Winslet and DiCaprio’s natural chemistry tells us what drew these two together, making the way they tear each other apart all the more shocking. The excellent supporting cast includes Kathy Bates (Misery), Dylan Baker (Happiness), and especially Michael Shannon (Bug) as a mentally troubled mathematician who cuts to the quick of the Wheelers’ troubles. Mention must be made of the beautiful production design; the costumes and sets are simply gorgeous. –Bret Fetzer
Stills from Revolutionary Road (Click for larger image)
A Prison Within A Prison,
By Jimmy Lee “James” (Manhasset, N.Y. United States) -
Adapted from Richard Yates first novel, Revolutionary Road exposes the adversities of a young couple living in a Connecticut suburban neighborhood during the 1950’s who simply realize too late that they were never meant to be.
Frank Wheeler (Dicaprio) and April Wheeler (Winslet) feel as though they must standout from all the other mundane and ordinary suburbanites in their neighborhood. Frank, a marketer who works for Knoxx business (equivalent to IBM in those days) machines, is profoundly miserable at his job as he diligently works in a cubicle and engages in secretarial affairs with the novice typist. April, a struggling actress, who apparently never received her big break in show biz does not like to talk about her failures.
During the beginning of the film, we are introduced to a quick flashback of how they met at a party while they were younger; Frank exhibits his witty, charming charisma as he gives April the impression of eventually leading a spontaneous life in Paris in the future. However, the viewer only begins to find out that this was merely a sales pitch or a common characteristic of a marketer. On the contrary, April falls for it no less. Fast forwarding to the present, April now lives in an ordinary life on Revolutionary Road with Frank and her two children and receives frequent visits from her inquisitive real estate agent (Kathy Bates) accompanied with her “mentally unstable” son. April feels as though she is leading a very unsatisfying and unfulfilled life. To add some excitement in their relationship, April broaches Frank’s former idea of actually pursuing a career and settling in Paris as a secretary because it simply pays handsomely; meanwhile, it will beneficially fit Frank because he can finally figure out what he wants to do with his life. Frank refuses at first because according to him it is just “unrealistic” but eventually obliges because he too feels as though they need something new and spontaneous to reinvent their relationship. Despite the neighbors and Frank’s fellow co-workers disbelief in this “childish” and radical decision, things seem to go very smoothly in the Wheeler family; the house they just bought is now on sale, their belongings are packed, the children are excited, life could not be any better.
It all seems too swell for this tragic couple, when suddenly Frank is offered a promotion at his redundant job with a higher paying position, heavier responsibilities, and more importantly a chance to be apart of something great, the computer. Frank refuses this handsome offer from his boss at first because it interferes with their big trip to Paris. On the other hand, Frank cannot resist the temptation and is drawn to stay at this job because of the attachment he has regarding his father. We learn that Frank’s father has also worked at Knoxx Business Machines for 30 years. It suggests as though Frank has a yearning desire to fulfill this empty legacy. On a different note, it strongly expresses Frank’s inability to change and triumph over his trepidation. This couple struggles to achieve any sort of compromise as their lays a serious conflict of interest regarding their futures. April wants a lifestyle change in Paris; meanwhile, Frank is satisfied working in a miserable occupation with a higher salary. This relationship portrays that conflict of interest incessantly; it also shows how it affects their lifestyle and how they grapple with the consequences. It is not pleasant I rest assure you. (You’ll see what I mean)
The bigger picture here is the heavy social commentary implemented in this film at almost every other scene. It reflects and exposes the culture of the 1950’s, the struggles of an unhappy relationship, and the fine line between insanity and simply pure genius. It also sheds light upon questions such as what is insanity and what is mean to be medically and mentally unstable? The reality is that the real estate agent’s son who is “mentally unstable” by society is the only one that possesses a real intellectual and realistic perception on the wheeler’s relationship.(Go figure) The Wheeler’s relationship and decisions are constantly being influenced by other people and we see this through Frank’s work environment, the neighbors, and the real estate agent. April is victimized as a prisoner of culture and her difficulty of coping with the dynamics of the role of a wife during the 1950’s. Some might question her role in the film and ask, well, why doesn’t she just get a divorce, or leave Frank? It just wasn’t that simple during that time period as it was considered taboo or dishonorable to leave or separate from your husband. April wishes she could leave the house but is drawn back to it like a magnet because she has two children, a husband, and could not possibly earn a lucrative living in those days considering the job opportunities available at that time period. In that regard, April is prisoner of the house, living in an inescapable environment. She is a prisoner living in a prison within a prison. Frank is a mere coward that cannot confront the social obstacles of change. Like April, Frank too, is a prisoner as well. Hence, my conclusion, a couple that was never meant to be.
Personally, I enjoyed this film not because of the setting, or from the great performances, but the realism that is portrayed here in this relationship. It is quite unique in the sense that the film does not sugar coat anything. Not to be too clichéd or anything but it echoes the expression “it is what it is”. In that regard it may turn some people off. I happen to cherish and embraced this message. If you like this film, check out “A Doll’s House” with Anthony Hopkins. Both are excellent but sad films. They express a similar struggle of a couple resisting to conform to society.
“Knowing what you got, knowing what you need, knowing what you can do without”,
By Linda Bulger (Avon, Maine) -
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)
Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio reunited for this film about U.S. suburban life in the mid-1950s. The chemistry between these two is as strong as ever but in Revolutionary Road they are steeped in misery. April Wheeler (Winslet) has aspirations–to be an actress, to be special somehow, to rise above the cookie-cutter suburban life. Frank Wheeler (DiCaprio) is a cog in the machinery at a New York business and dealing with his 30th birthday by having an affair. They are anchored (and not in a good way) by two children, predictable friends and neighbors, and the daily grind.
April comes up with the idea of moving to Paris where Frank can “find himself” while she supports the family with secretarial work. He goes along with it and the planning gets underway. Their friends disapprove but the cachet, the specialness of it all, pleases them–until they find out that April is pregnant. The pregnancy and Frank’s promotion at work lead him to change his mind about Paris.
April and Frank fight bitterly throughout this dark movie, which is based on the 1961 novel by Richard Yates. If there is one flaw in the premise–or possibly it’s a strength—it is that the suburban motif in their lives is drawn too lightly to justify the Wheelers’ misery. Their own personal unhappiness and incompatibility seem universal, and they talk about it endlessly. Faced with the collapse of their Paris plans, April says, “For years I thought we’ve shared this secret that we would be wonderful in the world … We were never special or destined or anything at all.” The pathos of this realization is by no means unique to this couple, but it drives the end of the movie to its painful outcome.
The production is beautiful and moody, with wonderful costumes and sets bringing the middle of the century to life. Director Sam Mendes–Winslet’s husband–delivers a vehicle that may have slightly more for Winslet to work with than DiCaprio; his angst is played out slightly less convincingly than hers, I thought. The “Greek chorus” of a neighbor (Kathy Bates) and her mentally ill son (Michael Shannon) provides back-story and outsider commentary on the problems in the Wheelers’ life; Shannon’s masterful performance commanded an Oscar but as a device for furthering the story, I thought it was a shade heavily drawn.
I couldn’t take my eyes off this gorgeously designed film, and its dark atmosphere left me with many questions. Is it hubris to imagine that you are special? Is it weakness of character to plan a dramatic escape from the everyday-ness of life? When you run away, don’t you take yourself with you? Don’t problems need to be resolved where they live? And when a dream collapses, how well do we deal with it? These may or may not be the musings that Mendes and his screenwriters and cast were intending to spark, but they are the questions that stayed with me. Four stars.
Linda Bulger, 2009
Revolutionary Road — 1 of the Top 5 Films of 2008,
By J. Anderson “Film Fanatic” (Denver, CO) -
Many of the reviewers here are focused on the film being set in the 50s and that this makes it somehow cliche. What I found so compelling about the movie was how applicable it is to today (or any day/time for that matter). I could completely relate to the characters and, had I married someone not as adventurous as myself, may have found myself living the same nightmare. It was like I could see on screen what my life would’ve been like if I’d chosen the wrong partner. I hung on every word of dialogue and thought the screenplay was extraordinary, especially considering it was adapted from such a fine novel. There have been many movies that have tackled this type of material before, but that, in and of itself, does not take away from what an amazing film this is. None of the others (American Beauty, Far From Heaven) had grabbed me the way this one did. The fact that it was set in the 50s didn’t mean much to me because that’s not the ultimate focus of the message for me. The acting is flawless and I thought the movie was absolutely robbed at the Oscars. At least Kate was recognized for The Reader. If you can appreciate a well written and acted marital tragedy, you won’t find a better film.
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