Film review: Revolutionary Road
Article published: Tuesday, March 3rd 2009
Sam Mendes Revolutionary Road is the story of what would have happened if Jack and Rose both survived the Titanic and managed to put their class differences aside long enough to get married and settle down in the suburbs. In this instance, however, Leo and Kate play Frank and April Wheeler, a young couple in the 50s who grow increasingly stifled by their commitments to their children, jobs and each other.
One day they decide to break with the monotony of their lives and flit off to live an idealised life of moonlit wine and artists garrets in Paris. Without giving too much away of the (predictable) storyline, this is one of the most depressing films Ive ever seen. The moral of the story seems to be that you cannot escape your fate and there is nothing so childish as dreaming of freedom, individuality and self-expression. Great. Thanks for that, Mendes.
You may remember Sam Mendes as the director of that glorious homage to life, American Beauty. This film seems like a pathetic attempt to relive his former suburban-middle-class bashing days. Except it doesnt work. Full of close face shots and prolonged dialogues, Revolutionary Road tries to create a drawn-out emotional tension. However, lovely as they are, Winslet and DiCaprio just arent the actors to pull off a feat so centred around character. With very little in the way of cinematography or script to pad out the thin premise, the film is left wanting; and this is not helped by the uncanny redolence of the score to that of American Beauty.
The only redeeming feature of this mildly pleasant but pointless film is the riotous Howard Givings, played by Richard Easton. He is the crazy son of the neighbours who blurts out the truth that no one else dare say – a feeble plot device, but a hilarious break in the drudgery of the rest of the film. There are fleeting glimpses where the film manages sexy, but if you like a bit of naked Winslet then watch The Reader instead. Theres more arse and a better story line.
3/3/09
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