Review: Revolutionary Road

by m
January 16, 2009

Let me first start off by saying that I'm not a huge fan of Sam Mendes last movie Jarhead. However, I do like American Beauty and to be honest it didn't really have an affect on what I thought going into Revolutionary Road. After watching the adaptation of Richard Yates novel I must say I was highly impressed. Revolutionary Road is a highly affecting tale on every decision of your life, and raises questions about what anything really means or how you feel about your own life.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are The Wheelers a fabulous young couple with nothing but happiness and most of all hope for a new future. Taking place in the mid 1950's in an upscale town of Connecticut, Frank and April decide to move to a fashionable house right off of Revolutionary Road. Where they think everything in their life will be okay. However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Frank and April are a very dysfunctional couple, struggling with their marriage, amongst other things. After a very passionate argument between the couple arises (trust me, you FEEL this argument) they make a plan to move to Paris, France where they think they can start a new beginning in their lives and escape the shackles of feeling stuck in a place that carries such burdens as to why certain things about life are standardized. Frank comes across a troublesome crossroad with his job as he is offered a promotion. A true question of going to live your dream or conforming to a world of greed, where nothing is real. April as well faces news that might damage the chance of the move, but faces confusing questions about how to handle it. Things progressively get worse and worse and it leads us to our outstanding ending.

Revolutionary Road is more than a house in suburbia, it is your sense of security, that feeling that everything will be alright. Revolutionary Road is where you find out whats real and whats not, where you make the decisions of your life. It is where you dream, and where your dreams are broken. Revolutionary Road is a chilling tale about society, deceit, love, hope, and most importantly loss.

Revolutionary Road is lead with its brilliant cast as well as it's source material. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are dazzling to watch and give two of the best performances of their careers. On top of Sam Mendes sensational direction and Justin Haythe's screenplay. Revolutionary Road is not just a place.. it is everyone's.



9/10