The Wheelers seem to have the perfect life in 1950s suburbia- a nice house,
two kids, and a marriage that seems to be happy. However, they are living in
quiet desperation behind an illusion they want to get away from. Frank Wheeler
(Leonardo DiCaprio) is a salesman at Knox- following in his father's footsteps. He
is dissatisfied with his job and he hasn’t discovered his purpose. His
wife April (Kate Winslet) is even more unhappy. She wants to get away from
the illusion and even convinces him they need to move to Paris in the fall. Along the way,
their marriage is more tested as they seek to remain courageous and pursue their dreams.
REVOLUTIONARY ROAD is tragic and well-written film. Kate Winslet stands out- even way above the acting abilities of Leonardo DiCaprio (who will never be on
the same acting level as Kate). The film could have been made 20 or even
50 years ago and the script would have carried it with a great cast to boot. Despite
the flaws of the characters as they do horrible things, you still feel for them. Kate makes April the most vivid character
of the movie. Anyone can relate to having a life where a job is just a job while you're afraid to take that chance to
make your dreams happen. The unhappiness of Frank and April causes things in their relationship to explode at
times. They love each other and yet the outside pressures of what is expected does weigh down on them.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
An audio commentary by Director Sam Mendes
and Screenwriter Justin Haythe dishes insightful details on the making of the film.
LIVES OF QUIET DESPERATION: THE MAKING
OF REVOLUTIONARY ROAD- almost running at 30 minutes, this featurette has the cast and crew talk about the characters and the
lives the characters live in addition to the look of the film (and the story). It is interesting to know the film was
shot on location and they had to find a house a little later in the timeline since 1950s houses are too small to shoot in.
The deleted scenes add a few more moments
to the characters, but in the end they would have slowed the film down. Worth a watch if you loved REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.
FINAL ANALYSIS: REVOLUTIONARY
ROAD is an excellent film that should have been nominated for best picture. Kate Winslet gives a gripping performance.
The making-of featurette stands out among the extras.
This DVD review is (c)6-2-2009 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. Send all comments to lord_pragmagtic@hotmail.com
