It was a reunion for Titanic actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet who play a married couple in suburban Connecticut in the 1950’s. The movie was also directed by Kate Winslet’s real life husband at the time the movie was made, Sam Mendes.
For me, the movie seemed a bit slow. There were times were I actually paused it, to move on to doing something else, until I came back. It is an emotional story but it seems to take time to build to a point that holds your interest.
April played by Kate Winslet plays a housewife and mother to her and Frank’s (DiCaprio) two young children. Frank has a job he hates, working for a company his father had previously. They dream together of getting away from the suburban life and the lifestyles of that era of America.
After some convincing by April, Frank excitedly agrees that they will move to Paris in the fall. He to figure out exactly what he wants to do with his life, while she goes to work to support their happy family.
Unexpectedly April discovers she is 10 weeks pregnant and their plans and marriage begin to unravel. She proposes to Frank that she can have an abortion, to which he is against but leaves the option open, as they have 2 more weeks to make the decision.
When after an intense argument Frank decides for them, that they are no longer going to Paris and she is having the baby, Frank finds an instrument used in performing an instillation abortion. Another argument ensues and it looks like their relationship is doomed.
Oddly, after waking up the day after their fight Frank finds April in the kitchen cheerful, and making breakfast. He is taken aback by her sudden change in attitude, but happily goes off to work, thinking as if everything has gone back to perfect.
It is while he is at work and the children are with family friends, that April proceeds to prepare for performing her own instillation abortion. While you don’t actually watch the act, this part was particularly hard to watch because of the emotional build in the movie of their relationship. You can almost feel that something terribly bad is going to happen, and I have to say, at that point, I was emotionally invested.
Overall, I felt it was a good movie. The actors played their parts very well, and when the film got going, and their characters started to come out, I wanted to finish it. Winslet and DiCaprio have the same amazing chemistry, they did in Titanic, and Winslet didn’t hold anything back despite being directed by her husband.
If you want to see, a drama you will become emotionally a part of, Revolutionary Road is a good one. Stick through the slow start, and you will be satisfied in the end.
Drama/Romance
Rated: R
Run Time: 119 Minutes
Directed by: Sam Mendes
This copy of Revolutionary Road was purchased by me with my own funds.
Revolutionary Road
