It's a Long Road

Movie: Revolutionary Road
Release Year: 2008
Genre: Drama

In 1997, Celine Dion promised us that our hearts would go on, despite losing Rose's beloved Jack. Eleven years later, that promise has been realized in celluloid. The heart in deed goes on.....and on.....and on.....AND ON. To a destructive degree.

Yes, our dearest Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio, April and Frank respectively, are at last reunited in this Sam Mendes feature about a couple initially wrapped up in the young throes of love only to discover their eventual arrival in suburbia marks the beginning of the end, the decay of the American marriage, circa 1950. Most of the film glosses itself in flashbacks, one where we are entreated to watch the moment April and Frank meet at a party. A simple admiring glance across the room skips to a cut where they are talking, enjoying one another's company. Frank discusses his time in Paris, how different it is from the buckled culture of the United States: "People are alive there. People feel. Not like here." The comment remains ironic in that for the next 10 years, April and Frank will probably feel more than they ever thought they could as human beings. Yet April acts entranced, lying on Frank's bed the next morning in a flashback, watching him dress: "Frank Wheeler - you're probably the most interesting human being I've ever met." The trap is set and a love so soon turned sour has sealed these two's destiny like wax on an envelope.

There was much buzz over the first snub of Dicaprio's career when Titanic came out as victor in Academy Award nods in 1997. I understood why he wasn't nominated - he didn't do that swell of a job. However, if anything, this is Dicaprio's golden performance. Dicaprio not being acknowledged by the Academy for Revolutionary Road is such a sincere injustice, one I am slightly perplexed by and somehow surmising that it is more than a slight distaste for the actor coming from the Academy.

As for the film, the performances, as implied by my previous comment, are indeed fabulous - if anything, I feel Dicaprio outshines Winslet, which is quite a statement. Although the film poses as a poignant drama about the degeneration of an American marriage amongst lofty ideals, although it reveals how love can make monsters out of us all, although it captures the emptiness and loneliness surrounding the sentiment April detects upon moving to suburbia - the message one has to conform and "resign from life" - despite these attributes, there is one problem with this film.

It is 90% argument. Now many will claim the argument is key to the story, bolsters better acting and shouldn't be criticized. I disagree. Not only is this film 90% argument, but it's the same argument, over and over, which despite glorious acting, becomes tedious and tiresome. So if I had to lay final testament to Revolutionary Road, I would say this: this movie is worth seeing, but don't be surprised if you have a headache once the credits roll.