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"Revolutionary Road" Review

by Jane Boursaw on January 24th, 2009

As a rule, I generally don’t like movies that revolve around couples arguing. But as you can see above, I gave "Revolutionary Road" 5 out of 5 Geckos, and the reason is simple: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.

As I was watching this movie, I kept thinking, here’s a couple who really work well together. It’s like they’re hardly acting, because they’re so natural with each other, their dialogue and actions playing beautifully off each other. They’re a modern-day Kate Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, only way more intense and dramatic.

"Revolutionary Road" takes place in 1955 and follows the story of Frank and April Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet). They’ve been married seven years and reside in a Connecticut suburb with two young kids. Frank takes the train to NYC where he works in the same office his father worked for 20 years. April stays home and tends to the house and kids.

But they’re both miserable. They realize they’ve bought into the whole picket-fence business, but neither is happy about it. While Frank was never quite sure what he wanted to do with his life, April once dreamed of becoming an actress.

One day, she brings up the wild idea of moving to Paris. They’ve got six months of living expenses saved up; now is their chance to make a break for it. The plan is for April to land a high-paying secretarial job for one of the major international organizations, giving Frank the free time to figure out what he wants to do.

Without giving away any major spoilers, their plans abruptly change. The story gradually turns from a couple seeking to break away and live the life they’re always dreamed about, to an angst-ridden housewife who will do whatever it takes to escape from her current life.

If you’d like to retain any nostalgic feelings you have about the 1950s, you’d best not see "Revolutionary Road." It’s a depressing look at an era where people were expected to follow a certain path, and those that didn’t were looked upon as crazy. In fact, the only person who seems to understand where the Wheelers are coming from is their realtor’s son, who’s logged time in a mental hospital. Kathy Bates plays their realtor; Michael Shannon plays her son.

You get the feeling that some people would love to escape from their lives – including the Wheeler’s neighbors, Shep and Milly Campbell (David Harbour and Kathryn Hahn) and the realtor’s husband (Richard Easton). But they realize it’s just a dream. They’re destined to live out their days going to a job they hate and perhaps living with a person they hate, as well.

This movie has been making the rounds on the awards circuit; including three Oscar nominations, a Best Actress Golden Globe for Winslet; and several other wins and nominations. It’s easy to see why. I loved everything about this movie, especially the performances of Winslet and DiCaprio, so nuanced and spot-on in their angst and passion and desperation.

The original music by Thomas Newman is captivating; also, great attention was paid to the wonderful 1950s-era details: clothes, cars, homes, furniture, everything just took you right back to that era. Check out the pictures below, and you’ll see what I mean.

Images: Revolutionary Road, DreamWorks Distribution, 2008

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