Bluray Review - Revolutionary Road

Sam Mendes' 1950's Domestic Drama is a Depressing Adaption of Novel

Jun 9, 2009

In his first cinematic collaboration with real-life wife Kate Winslet, Sam Mendes adapts Richard Yates' powerful suburban novel about a couple in marital trouble. 7.5/10

If anything else throughout this two hour film, viewers may find themselves wondering how the characters on screen can light up a cigarette so often, even in the spirit of recalling the crazy times that were the fifties. That quirky little bit of stage play aside, Revolutionary Road is a sad yet decent look at the marital woes of a young 1950's couple, living in suburban Connecticut.

Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio, Body of Lies) and his wife April (Kate Winslet, The Reader) seem like the happy young married couple that others in the blissful, quiet little Connecticut neighborhood of Revolutionary Road seem to envy. Beneath the happy facade, however, nothing could be going more wrong. Frank once had dreams of going places, and possibly becoming a writer; instead, he finds himself haplessly working a desk job in an office selling adding devices to banking firms.

April had dreams of becoming a talented Broadway star; alas, her talents lack considerably in that department, and so she ends up a hapless homemaker and mother of two, spending her days in a house that feels more like an invisible prison.

These two co-exist, knowing that their lives once filled with dreams and ambition, are reduced to living the routine lives they've resigned themselves to, feeling it safer not to act too hastily in life. These choices (or lack thereof) slowly start to disintegrate their relationship, leading to secret workplace affairs, and convoluted lies.

With some of their close friends having doubts of their own, and how each one is involved with Frank and April's lives in some way or other, creates the melodramatic tapestry that is this Revolutionary Road.

Can these characters make the right decisions to change their lives for the better? Watch, as DiCaprio and Winslet take action in ways you'll never forget.

In many ways, this film acts as a perfect book end for the gamut of American suburban drama, alongside director Sam Mendes' other film, the award winning American Beauty. Many will recall that Mendes' feature directorial debut back ten years ago, went on to win the Best Picture Award, not to mention a Best Director Oscar for his first Academy effort.

It doesn't hurt that that the pairing of Winslet and DiCaprio, reuniting here for the first time since Titanic (another Best Picture winner), would mesh so seamlessly. DiCaprio is brilliant as a man trying to do what is right, while realizing that some sacrifices must be made, in order to provide for one's family, though young dreams may never come to fruition. Some great emotional moments by him in this movie, arguably some of his best acting yet.

Winslet brings her talent to the forefront opposite DiCaprio, as April, a free-spirited feminist thinker, whose life ambitions have taken a turn for the worse, and whose choices will change her family forever.

In an ironic (or is it deliberate?) twist of central casting, Kathy Bates (The Day the Earth Stood Still) is also in this film, bringing the Titanic trio full circle. Bates played the memorable Molly Brown in the 1997 film, here she plays Helen Givings, a gossipy real estate broker, who pokes her nose into the Wheelers' affairs a little too much for her own good.

A worthy mention must go to actor Michael Shannon (nominated at the Oscars for this film), who plays John Givings, Helen's son freshly out of the psychiatric hospital, as he slowly rehabilitates himself, following violent fits of rage, which led him to electroshock therapy. Despite the dysfunctional nature of each character in Road, Shannon's John is the most lucid and self-aware of the whole cast. A refreshing performance, to say the least.

The Bluray disc includes the usual director's commentary (and in this case, a lot of it comes back to how it is to direct his wife on screen), and the theatrical trailer. A making of is also included, though it mostly deals with location scouting, given the time period.

The deleted scenes (about eight or nine of them) would be par for the course, were it not for the fact that any viewer who has just come fresh from a screening of the film, would argue that most of these deleted bits could have remained in the film. Watch the deleted scene titled "Dear Frank", though it is not in the final film, it could have easily secured Leo Dicaprio with an acting nomination.

Word to the wise, this film is dark and sad, and is not apologizing about being anything other than an adaptation of Richard Yates' powerful story. Some may find it difficult to watch, those who do will be rewarded by the involved cast, the highly emotional moments, and a well executed story by Sam Mendes.

Just don't try counting how many cigarettes are smoked per scene. You'll lose count.

7.5 out of 10, for a sad, depressing, but well executed drama. Minus points for deleting some of DiCaprio's most intense scenes.

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