Based upon the book of the same name released back in 1961 by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road takes a very dramatic look at a couple stuck in their mundane repetitive suburban lifestyle of the 1950s.
The film begins with Frank Wheeler (DiCaprio) meeting April (Winslet) at a party. At the time Frank is a longshoreman while April has dreams of becoming an actress. These dreams don't last long as we quickly fast forward to where they are for the rest of the movie. Married, with two kids, living in a very nice house in the Connecticut suburbs on Revolutionary Road. April is a stay at home mother (not uncommon for this time) and Frank commutes to New York City for his sales job. Seems pretty ideal from the outside looking in. But from the inside to Frank and April it is a slow hell. April can't handle the repetitiveness of her daily life, while Frank hates his job and therefore puts little effort into it whatsoever. In an effort to pull out of their tailspin the Wheelers decide to move to Paris and start anew. Of course the perfect plan ever goes off without a hitch, and the Wheeler's must not only try and deal with the obstacles put in their way, but also must fight for their marriage to survive them.
This is not a film to watch if you're looking to watch something light. It is a heavy drama that deals with heavy subjects and complex characters. DiCaprio plays his role skillfully of a cowardly man unsure of what he wants to become in life. Winslet is great as this woman defeated of her dream and stuck in a life she does not want to be in. If it was not for her Oscar nomination in The Reader in the same year she would have most likely received one for this role.
The great acting is not limited to just the two leads however. Kathy Bates is solid in the role of the Wheeler's friend and realtor Mrs. Givings. Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire) is even better though as John Givings, the mentally troubled son of Bates' character. His bluntness and lack of manners is very well timed and triggers heavy debates and arguments between him and the Wheeler's. Shannon's performance even netted him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
The movie does have its holes however. For a married couple with two kids, the Wheeler's sure spend a lot of time with their kids not around. It just seemed a bit too convenient, though in the end it's not a huge deal and can be easily overlooked. Some people may find this movie slow and/or boring. But the big picture to see in this film is that it's not driven by a particular plot line or the character's plans, but by the character's themselves. This movie is about two people and the depths of their emotions, personalities, and actions and how these come to affect each others' lives.
Overall, I give this film 3 out 4 stars and a thumbs up. It wasn't as good as I had hoped but maybe I was looking for too much. The acting is very solid and is worth seeing at least once, though it's not necessarily something to watch again and again. As I mentioned above it's a bit heavy for that. You can buy this movie on DVD or Blu-Ray or rent it through Netflix. Enjoy!
Editor's Note: My next review will be on the 2011 drama Last Night starring Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, and Eva Mendes so be on the look out for that!
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