Synopsis:
A
young couple living in a Connecticut suburb
during the mid-1950s struggle to come to terms
with their personal problems while trying to
raise their two children. Based on a novel by
Richard Yates.
The Freak's
Rating: B- : 1997's Titanic had movie
fans all over the world engrossed in the
captivating romance of Jack and Rose.
Despite some horrible dialogue for DiCaprio,
Winslet saved the couple's scenes together.
For nearly 3 hours, James Cameron hit a fever
pitch with suspension of disbelief, as everyone
doubted if the unsinkable ship would actually go
down. It was beautiful to see, again and
again for some of us, and ended with us wanting
more, especially from the star couple.
DiCaprio and Winslet had numerous scripts thrown
at them in the 12 years following Titanic that
paired them up again, turning all of them down
until now. Based on a Richard Yates novel
of the same name, Revolutionary Road seemed just
the project for the two to agree upon as their
reunion film. Unfortunately for DiCaprio,
it becomes the true seperator between the
couple, showcasing DiCaprio's decent acting and
Winslet's powerful ability to steal scenes from
all who are around her.
Revolutionary Road tackles a wonderful aspect of
life, dealing with the molds that exist in
society and our tendencies to grow into them.
I'm sure everyone reading this review has known
or does know someone who has tried or continues
to try to fight conformity. There are one
of two avenues these people usually take in
life. First, they can continue dreaming of
an ideal world. These people try
desperately to live their lives differently than
others, no matter the cost financially or to
their careers. Some people let this
opinion envelop their common sense, making some
decisions out of spite to mainstream America
because their beliefs are so strong. The
second type of people can develop an attitude
against all things considered mainstream and
become stubborn, stuck in their world of
idealism, never yielding and ultimately
surrendering to an existence with continual
disdain for those of us who "conform" by growing
up and settling down. Either path chosen
is a depressing one, and Revolutionary Road
seems to show all sides of this syndrome some
can develop.
Winslet is fantastic here, as she is in nearly
all her roles. Other supporting cast, led
strongly by Michael Shannon, are nicely cast and
perform quite well in keeping up DiCaprio and
Winslet's leads. The dialogue is
remarkably intelligent and sometimes deeper than
DiCaprio can deliver. Cinematography, set
and costume design perfectly pull you into this
world, showcasing the tendency of cigarette
smoking and drinking as prevolent as it was
during this era.
Revolutionary Road is up for some notable Oscars
this year, some undeserving if you consider the
running mates. However, most of the acting
soars above what some others deliver and the
storyline is profound and impactful.
Brian's Rating: C- : This movie was not very entertaining. Sure, the acting is decent, but there just isn't enough happening to keep it fun to watch. There is some emotional conflict between the husband and the wife and the wife wants to enjoy life more, and the husband ultimately does too, but has a little more grounded view about how to do it.
Something interesting at least happens at the ending, but for the rest of the movie, I was yawning throughout.
