Revolutionary Road

Genre: Drama

Language: English

Director: Sam Mendes (Jarhead)

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Body of Lies), Kate Winslet (The Reader), Michael Shannon (World Trade Center)

Runtime: 119 min

Plot:

Set in 1955, Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) are a young, thriving couple living with their two children in a Connecticut suburb. Their self-assured exterior masks a creeping frustration at their inability to feel fulfilled in their relationships or careers. Frank is mired in a well-paying but boring office job, and April is a housewife still mourning the demise of her hoped-for acting career. Determined to identify themselves as superior to the mediocre sprawl of suburbanites who surround them, they decide to move to France where they will be better able to develop their true artistic sensibilities, free of the consumerist demands of capitalist America. As their relationship deteriorates into an endless cycle of squabbling, jealousy and recriminations, their trip and their dreams of self-fulfillment are thrown into jeopardy.

Watched the movie on 19 April afternoon @ The Cathay with Sylvia.

Everyone thought that the Wheelers were the extraordinary, trendy and modern couple everyone wished to be. But behind their doors, they were unhappy. However, many issues contributed to the the unhappiness and they struggled to get out of it.

April Wheeler wanted to leave and changed her life, Frank Wheeler agreed but changed his mind. Weren't compromising and commitment factors in an marriage? Where did those gone to? If they were there, the ending probably will not be that dark. And one part where April told her husband: "No one forgets the truth, Frank, they just get better at lying." I got engraved with those words in my head.

One of their family friend, John Givings played by Michael Shannon, almost over-shadowed the couple. I had deep impression on him playing the role - a psychologically unstable son, who stole just about every scene he was in. And I believe that no matter he is mentally stable or not, he pointed out something interesting and I kind of agree -:

"You want to play house you got to have a job. You want to play nice house, very sweet house, you got to have a job you don't like. "

ah-deng says: 3½ / 5 Definitely not the typical romance nor wholesome family movie, are you able to face reality?