Revolutionary Road is a film that trails in the wake of American Beauty. One could even see Revolutionary Road as a prequel to American Beauty. Sam Mendes follows in the same direction as his Oscar-winning Best Picture, but incorporates his leading lady and wife, Kate Winslet. Instead of delivering the undercurrents of contemporary American suburbia, he focuses on ’50s “Pleasantville” with a magnifying glass. The Wheelers are his ants in this story, and their lives are examined within the confines of post World War II American society. Winslet’s Oscar-nominated performance is worth every minute, and she co-stars with her equal from Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio. The stars forge a new chemistry on-screen, which is nothing like their romantic and tragic cruise. The ensemble provides strong performances all-round, including memorable roles from About Schmidt’s Kathy Bates and Bug’s Michael Shannon.
This drama is a roller-coaster ride that makes Married Life seem like a soap opera. Mendes weaves an intricate web of deceit, betrayal and suburban emptiness that is cold, vindictive and relentless. Audiences watch as his commentary on the underside of ’50s Americana rips into the fabric of society. It’s a difficult pill for Americans to swallow, but its sting isn’t without justification. Mendes pinches the meaning of life, the purpose of work and the institution of marriage. The outcome is sad, cynical and carries a malevolent truth about the hollow lives that some people lead. Work is a means to material happiness and a stable marriage, although it never seems to be enough. The lead characters wrestle with the notion of love and their very existence.
The subject matter is depressing, but its the performances that carry Revolutionary Road home. DiCaprio’s everyman role as Frank Wheeler is convincing and soulful, while Kate Winslet’s performance as April is gutsy and moving. Mendes triumphs in conveying a desperate state of affairs, but it doesn’t hold much hope. His distressing message is more harrowing in its juxtaposition with today’s society, and unfortunately there’s no way of going back. Revolutionary Road is a gripping drama, but is overladen with unlikeable characters. There’s no room for comfort and its like Mendes is twisting the knife with this adaptation. This isn’t a romance and if you’re expecting Titanic: Part 2, you’ll be sorely disappointed. See Revolutionary Road for a strong ensemble effort, carried by Winslet’s defiant turn as April Wheeler.
The bottom line: Haunting.
