Revolutionary Road, based on the novel by Richard Yates, is about a young couple in the 1950’s who have trouble adapting to and accepting their mundane suburban lifestyle. The movie begins with a romantic first encounter between Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (Kate Winslet) at a party. The rest of this story, however, is dedicated to watching the violent destruction of their marriage and their lives. Frank works at a job he hates in New York City, then commutes home to two children and a wife who feels none of them belong in their cookie-cutter town. On the outside they seem to be the perfect couple with the perfect life, so much so that their realtor (Kathy Bates) introduces them to her mentally impaired son (Michael Shannon) in the hopes of establishing some normalcy into his life. However, this couples life is far from the perfect façade they have built and the audience gets to witness first hand the emotional breakdown between them. This film is skillfully directed by Sam Mendes (Winslet’s real-life husband) so much so that you almost feel as though you are intruding on the characters private moments. Less talented actors wouldn’t have been able to encompass the volatile and emotional chemistry between Frank and April, but DiCaprio and Winslet are as fantastic at capturing the blossoming of young love as they are at tearing each other apart with verbal attacks. Michael Shannon gives a gifted and disturbed performance not unlike his previous work in the movie Bug. Revolutionary Road is not available in MoPix but it is not needed. The dialogue is superb, but be warned this is a heavy film that stays in your thoughts for days.
Nominated for:
Best Supporting Actor: Michael Shannon
Art Direction
Costume Design
Could have also been nominated for:
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio
Best Actress: Kate Winslet
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Director: Sam Mendes
Best Picture
(BBC Films)
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon and Kathy Bates
