REVOLUTIONARY ROAD'S
NOT SO REVOLUTIONARY:
BUT THANKS TO
LEONARDO DICAPRIO
AND KATE WINSLET, IT'S
WORTH THE WATCH
Revolutionary Road,
which I saw with a couple of hundred people last night at the Directors
Guild Theatre, is an intriguing but, at times, slow paced film, which
in some other thespians' hands wouldn't be nearly as compelling. As a
WGA Member, I'm reluctant to negate any writer, but the script, with
the exception of occasional sparkling banter, dragged a lot of the
time. In fact, Justin Haythe's screenplay based on Richard Yates' novel
seems more a throwback to what life might have been like for George and
Martha twenty years before we met them in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
It's not exactly the same, and certainly without the wit, but the
story surrounds an enormous and sometimes fiery struggle between a
young couple, Frank and April Wheeler, whose life purpose seems at odds
from the moment they meet at a party to an almost jump cut -- which I
found quite jarring -- several years later well into their marriage,
trapped in the suburbs with a pair of young kids.
There's a lot of fighting and yelling and then a bit of settling
down until April challenges Frank, whose job appears at a dead end,
into a life changing proposal to pick up and suddenly move to Paris,
where she'll support him while working at a government job so that he
can find himself. No matter that, as Frank points out, it's not as if
he has any burning ambition longing to be unleashed -- such as if he'd
always yearned to be a writer or an artist. However, the thought is
appealing and he decides to go for it.
Suddenly things change with a very attractive job offer, which seems
to come out of nowhere as it appeared Frank was sort of a slacker on
the verge of being fired from his boring sales job. Had he won some
sort of lottery -- if there'd been one at the time -- it all might have
made more sense. However, that isn't the main fault of the film, which
is directed by Sam Mendes (Winslet's husband) in a stagy manner and is
oft overly stated in melodramatic form.
That said there are lots of poignant pieces -- not just itty bits --
where Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet shine. I will confess up front
that he is my favorite actor, two generations removed from my favorite
actress the late and beloved Deborah Kerr. Like Deborah, Leo moves in
and out of his roles in chameleon fashion -- it almost doesn't matter
what sort of part he plays. And in this instance, so far removed from
what he did two years ago in the varied performances of Blood Diamond and The Departed (I have yet to see Body of Lies), he is simply magnificent.
I'm not as much a fan of Kate Winslet, but I mostly admire her work
and she equals him in this endeavor playing a tortured wife not knowing
what really to do to save their marriage and to a larger extent their
lives. Together they are extremely magnetic and will both no doubt be
gifted with Oscar nominations.
There are others in the film, who give excellent performances as well, including Kathy Bates, who rejoins the stars after Titanic
as the ever present local real estate agent, and her very insane son
played by Michael Shannon. Some of his speeches are a little spot on as
to the truth of what's really happening to Frank and April, but his
take is nonetheless a joy to watch.
Most of the actors are quite watchable. Kathryn Hahn and David
Harbour as Frank and April's next door neighbors portray their envy in
an understated but effective manner. In particular, Harbour's lust for
Kate Winslet, even as he attempts to put Frank down for agreeing to let
April support him once they settle down in Paris.
All good things must come to an end, of course, and without spoiling
the denouement life is not always so generous in the dispensation of
its happy endings. Until come what may arrives, Revolutionary Road
plods ever forward to the final fade out, but it still encompasses some
wonderful moments and makes us look forward to the next pairing of Leo
and Kate.
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