Revolutionary Road is the latest drama from director Sam Mendes and features the reunion of Titanic co-stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The film follows the self-absorbed lives of Frank and April Wheeler during one tumultous summer when they try to change the overall arc of their lives.This film is one of the first ones that we've reviewed for this blog that Kinsey and I disagreed on. We disagreed pretty vehemently. Kinsey really enjoyed it; me, not so much. So this review will probably reflect my more negative view of the film.
Revolutionary Road, which is based on the Richard Yates novel, is nothing you haven't seen before. The featured couple are selfish and fear the cloak of suburbia closing around their self-declared "special" lives. I guess the biggest issues I had with the movie didn't involve the plot but how the plot was delivered. The script was a problem. A lot of the scenes felt heavily, well, scripted would be the best word. Specifically the fight scenes, which are a large part of the film. Anytime Frank and April begin fighting, they spout all this overwrought exposition on their feelings and lives, and it just doesn't feel real at all. Even a couple of actors who had pretty good chemistry in Titanic couldn't pull off these heavyhanded scenes.
I didn't really know what Revolutionary Road was trying to make me feel. Was I supposed to feel sorry for these characters? That was difficult considering how loathsome Frank and April are as human beings. Was I supposed to be happy that I'm not them? Or was I just supposed to watch all these tragic events unfold? I guess it just might be my personal preference that I could in some way connect with films that I enjoy. I definitely did not connect with Revolutionary Road.
OK, this is Kinsey. In response to Wade's last paragraph, its not a movie's job to dictate how you feel - that's up to you and your interpretation. As for me I found this movie very powerful and moving. I understand how Wade thought it felt scripted, but he seems to have missed Mendes' different style. I thought the movie felt like a play. I almost thought I was in a theater watching actors on a stage. This may be a bad or a good thing, but the content of the script and the way the lines were delivered was different than other movies with similiar themes. It added to the overall concept that Frank and April were playing a part in life rather than really living. While I wouldn't consider this the best movie I've seen this season, nor is it better than Little Children with Kate Winslet from 2006 which has a similar concept, it is very good and I would recommend it - despite what Wade says!
Kinsey: 4 stars
Wade: 2.5 stars
hey guys. glad you got to see this.
ReplyDeleteI was with Kinsey on this. I read the book, and found myself loving the characters ideals and looks on life at the beginning, but then towards the end, I learned to hate both of them.
The movie I agree with kinsey, with the whole play and acting...there is a lot explanation in the book, it opens with a play scene...they didn't elaborate on this in the movie, because I feel the director wanted to deal and show the actual drama between the two characters. anyhew...I found myself feeling sorry for the characters in the movie, rather then despising them.... which I found interesting.
Cheers!