Revolutionary Road (2008) Reviews

• A dream is a wish your heart makes, then you wake up and it's time to go to work

  Smells_Like_Cheese2009-06-08

  So a few weeks ago, my sister and I decided to watch a movie and wanted to see Titanic again, so of course we get to the sad ending where Jack dies, but Rose lived on to have an incredible life, I asked my sister "I wonder what would've happened if Jack lived? Would he and Rose really have lasted like they thought they would have?", she giggled and asked if I saw Revolutionary Road, I said no and she said to see this movie and my question would be answered. So here's something I never thought I would say, especially in 1997, thank God Jack died! OK, sorry for the lousy introduction, I always like to say how I saw the movie. But I didn't just want to see Revolutionary Road because of the reunion between the extremely talented Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, but also one of my favorite directors of all time Sam Mendes(American Beauty) who took on this project in the new telling of what the American Dream is and maybe it's not always what we had expected it to be. Frank and April Wheeler moved to Revolutionary Road in one of New York City's wealthy Connecticut suburbs, and have a daughter and a son in hopes of living the American dream. But April is dissatisfied with her life as a suburban housewife, and Frank despises his marketing job at Knox Business Machines, where his father worked for twenty years in a similar position. They feel that they are unique and special, but trapped in the conformity of life in the suburbs, where they moved to raise their children. On Frank's birthday April surprises him with a birthday cake and a proposal that they move to Paris, with April working as a secretary to support the family so that Frank can discover what he truly wants to do in life. Frank is reluctant at first but ultimately embraces the idea, and the renewed optimism breathes fresh life into their relationship. Meanwhile, April becomes pregnant again, she wants an abortion and has bought a device she has heard is safe if used in the first twelve weeks. Frank disapproves. Later, Frank is offered a promotion and raise at work. Eventually he tells April that for the sake of the unborn baby he has decided not to go to Paris. Extremely unhappy, April starts to go crazy and screams her hatred for Frank as he still tries to continue to make the "perfect and comfortable" life for her. This movie was really amazing, it's one of the most over looked Oscar wise from 2008, both Kate and Leonardo pull in heart wrenching performances. The thing about their characters is that I saw so much of my parents in them, they had all these amazing dreams together, were so in love, but then discover that life jumps in the front seat to what they really wanted to do. Kate's character, April, is receiving a lot of hate, but honestly I couldn't hate her, how could you? Yes, she said some awful things, but when it came down to it, she just wanted the man she fell in love with back again, she wanted to feel alive. The problem was both her and Frank were trying to run away from their problems, then Frank got comfortable; honestly, who knows what would have fixed their problems? But I do recommend Revolutionary Road, I really thought it's a small masterpiece and will get more recognition in the future I hope. 10/10

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• The Road of Broken Dreams

  Billy_Costigan2009-01-24

  Revolutionary Road is a drama centered around an unhappy married couple living in the 1950's suburbs. They struggle dealing with their lives, how things have turned out, and what to do next. April (Kate Winslet) is a stay at home mother and wife, who seems to want more than that. She had dreams of becoming an actress but it never seemed to work out. She's angry, depressed and really cold at times. Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) works in the city, is unhappy with his job and bored with his life. He's just one of those guys that works because he has to. He needs to support his family, even if he hates doing it. Inner demons and problems of his own trouble him as he tries to live out his life. These character have problems and issues just like everyone else. Sometimes they may come off as selfish, cold, or confusing to us. Things haven't worked out, and they're upset. That's whats so interesting about this, you may have friends or neighbors in relationships like this, that would never think of. Everything seems great on the outside, but behind closed doors, it's a different story. We all have had things not go our way from time to time, but it's up to us to make the best from it and move on. April and Frank have a harder time with this. Fair, or not, they are unhappy. You may not necessarily relate to the characters yourself, but you can respect that their are people like this all the time, in everyday life still, that have problems they go through. They may not be as drastic as these problems, but everyone has something not right with them. There are many themes in this film, mainly being love, marriage, relationships, and life. DiCaprio and Winslet give powerhouse performances. They really have a great chemistry together and seem to build off each other. Relationships are complicated and the highs and the lows are really shown extensively. All around great and believable performances with a small role by Michael Shannon, who shines as the crazy guy who tells it how it is. This is a film that will probably be best known for it's acting performances. The film is directed by Sam Mendes, the director of American Beauty. The film, itself is visually and artistically amazing. The lighting, colors, sets, scenes, costumes, everything is extremely well done. It's beautiful. I loved the cinematography. I can definitely can understand the hate, or dislike for this film. Due to it's depressing subject matter, it's not really a film you can sit down and just flat out enjoy or be entertained that much from. It's not a film for everyone. If you are just looking to be entertained and have a good time seeing a film, I don't think I would recommend this. It's shows the stark brutal reality of an unhappy suburban couple. If your looking for a film that more than that, one that is filled with terrific performances, great cinematography and direction, then you should check this out sometime. It's a really well made film all around, but be warned, it may be a hard one to enjoy.

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• Frighteningly real

  LindaMDalena2009-02-06

  Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio were the incentive of my going to see this film, and I could not be more convinced of their talent than I am after the two-hour brilliance. This film is reality in its purest, yet magnificently artistic form – the anger that is portrayed repetitively and in various occasions reminded me of the wrath I myself occasionally experience, from the overture of an argument to its climax; the screaming, the furious need to verbally and physically harm, punch, kick, no matter how much affection is felt towards the recipient. Even during the scenes that are meant to be tranquil, there is anxiety and tension hidden in their smiles, a sort of counterfeit politeness that should never be present in a happy relationship. It is all a depiction of two genuine lives that have the potential of existing in complete harmony, yet cannot because of the stereotypical environment and situation they find themselves in. They both crave change, an alteration in their monotonous state of being, but because of the lengthy period of time that they have spent in such a circumstance, their mentality is differently modified. April (Kate Winslet) finds unreserved determination to leave to Paris and although her character seems at times erratic, we gradually come to understand that she is in fact the stronger personality of the two; she truly finds change favorable, whereas Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) seems to find the idea of change more flattering than change itself. Each choice a person makes can change a life, and that life is not always theirs. This film shows us just how wrong something right can be, as well as how right something wrong can be.

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• Thought-provoking and sad.

  esale12009-02-06

  Having been a 50s housewife with children at home and a husband who wanted to be anywhere but there, this movie was familiar territory. How many of us in those years simply packed our dreams away for the immediate necessity of putting food on the table and paying the mortgage? Di Caprio is outstanding, as is Winslet, she having to deal with an American accent along with the tearing emotions. I didn't see that anyone picked up on the final scene, of Kathy Bates and her husband, but to me that was the whole moral of the story - here is where you will end up if you give in to what you know is not right for you. Overall, though, well done - except women in the 50s did NOT wear hats to work!!

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• Thirsting for

  cdoyle-32008-12-27

  Love, it's a curious thing. When it's fresh it is new, it is exciting and you wake up every morning just aching to spend another day with the person you love. Then you get married, have kids perhaps and things change. You fight. You fight over NOTHING. You grow to loathe the person you used to love to wake up next to. The world closes in on you and things don't seem the same anymore. You daydream about what life used to be like, how much love you used to be in and ask yourself - what happened??? Frank and April Wheeler meet and fall in love at a party. They talk about how their lives are going to be extraordinary and they are going to be different. They are going to live in Paris. They are never going to be "those people" in the suburbs. That isn't what life has in store for them. However life happens, April gets pregnant and they have to settle for a life more ordinary than they had planned for with the promise that someday, they will return to their dreams and complete them. The Wheeler's dreams do not ever become reality and as the bleak expanse of life stretches out ahead of April she decides to reach out for her personal brass ring and convince Frank that they are better than their home on Revolutionary Road and Frank's job with his father's company and are meant for the greatness that they once talked about having in Paris. April quickly begins to hope again that not only will her life change to what it should have been but that her and Frank will fall back in love again. Frank falls in love with the idea and agrees to go, but has reservations about leaving the job he hates but that gives him a purpose in life. The plans are only a temporary band-aid as their glass house of dreams tumble around them and become a shattered illusion of what it used to be. This movie is not one that you will send your entire family to see - or even your good friends. It isn't one that everyone will get or even WANT to get. However, this movie will tear out the heart of the people that have been in a relationship that has gone sour and were powerless to stop it. You try everything to stop the inevitable train wreck you see coming but yet, it still ends in a fiery crash and you stand and wonder how your life could end up this way. That's Frank and April and you will come to love and hate them by the end of this movie. The acting in this movie is beyond amazing because it's simple and not overdone by the lead actors. Many things are not ever said - nor needed to be said - and were played with a flick of emotion across the face. I watched this movie expecting Kate to be the one to blow me away as usual and was shocked when it was Leo that knocked my socks off. I felt little sympathy for Frank in the novel but in the movie he plays him so well you can't help but feel sorry for him. I must mention that the supporting roles in this movie are nothing to sneeze at as well. If you are looking for a wholesome family movie that will melt your heart, this isn't it. However, if you are willing to deal with a bit of stark reality - this is the movie for you. It rocked me harder than American Beauty ever did.

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