Revolutionary Road

Suburbia, rightly or wrongly, has always made for a convenient whipping boy in popular culture, and Revolutionary Road is certainly no exception. Helmed by American Beauty director Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road is the story of Frank and April Wheeler, who meet at a kind of bohemian party, marry and have kids quickly, and before you can say "yard sale" have bought into the whole suburban lifestyle. April, played by Kate Winslet, longs to be an actress, and is held back by her lack of talent, as well as by her familial responsibilities. Frank, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, hates his job and doesn't know what he wants to do , but is easily seduced by the economic opportunities that his firm has to offer. April, who is miserable, hatches a plan to go to Paris in order to revitalize their lives, and to give Frank an opportunity to "find himself", and this brings a brief flash of optimism to their lives. This film does an excellent job in portraying uphappy people leading miserable lives, and at times will remind you of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe. It also captures the feel and look of a time when the big house in the suburbs was everyone's goal, and that goal was attainable. In addition to the fine job done by the leads, Kathy Bates, as an upbeat realtor and Michael Shannon as her mentally ill son add much to the film. Mr. Shannon in particular has a couple of riveting scenes of pure honesty that both electrify, and even provide some comic relief to the film. This is an adult entertainment of the purest kind, no gimmicks, just a slice of life, and a must see by any serious filmgoer.

Rating - 4 Stars