Revolutionary Road
January 26th 2009 10:22
WHILE it’s not really to my taste, Revolutionary Road is an effective story about real people that will resonate with a lot of viewers.
It’s too simplistic to call it a study in suburban dystopia. In fact, Richard Yates, the author of the 1961 novel upon which the film is based, has said that’s exactly what he didn’t want. His tale is more about the disparity between dreams and reality, wherever it may occur. Having said that, the movie does come across as a bit of an indictment of the ‘American Dream’.
It’s the 1950s and Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (Kate Winslet) appear to have it all. They’ve got two healthy children and a nice house in a nice neighbourhood, yet they are irretrievably miserable. Frank hates his boring city job and April can’t get over her failure as an actress. When April suggests they pick up and move to Paris, their relationship is reinvigorated and life suddenly has meaning again. However, it doesn’t last long as circumstances put pay to their romantic travel plans, driving April to make some drastic decisions.
DiCaprio and Winslet are good, but Michael Shannon steals every scene he’s in as a mentally ill (or is he?) mathematician who speaks the truth without caring what people think. Kathy Bates, who plays his busybody mother, is also excellent.
It’s not a happy film, but it will make you think…as long as you can stand all the shouting.
It’s too simplistic to call it a study in suburban dystopia. In fact, Richard Yates, the author of the 1961 novel upon which the film is based, has said that’s exactly what he didn’t want. His tale is more about the disparity between dreams and reality, wherever it may occur. Having said that, the movie does come across as a bit of an indictment of the ‘American Dream’.
It’s the 1950s and Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (Kate Winslet) appear to have it all. They’ve got two healthy children and a nice house in a nice neighbourhood, yet they are irretrievably miserable. Frank hates his boring city job and April can’t get over her failure as an actress. When April suggests they pick up and move to Paris, their relationship is reinvigorated and life suddenly has meaning again. However, it doesn’t last long as circumstances put pay to their romantic travel plans, driving April to make some drastic decisions.
DiCaprio and Winslet are good, but Michael Shannon steals every scene he’s in as a mentally ill (or is he?) mathematician who speaks the truth without caring what people think. Kathy Bates, who plays his busybody mother, is also excellent.
It’s not a happy film, but it will make you think…as long as you can stand all the shouting.
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