Film Review: Revolutionary Road

Director: Sam Mendes

The 2008 drama based on the book of the same name by Richard Yates isn't a huge departure from Mendes' earlier film American Beauty, both deal with the issues of the grind of suburban life amongst the  middle aged. It was nominated for three Academy Awards including Best Supporting Actor for Michael Shannon.

Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet)

Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) meet in the late 1940's and get married, the film jumps to 1955 when the couple move into a house on Revolutionary Road in suburban Connecticut after April gets pregnant. Frank works at Knox Machines as a salesman which is the same place his father worked for twenty years and he grows tired of the monotony so the couple plan to move to Paris to break the claustrophobic suburban life they have built for themselves.

Mendes creates a tight and claustrophobic living space for DiCaprio and Winslet to work in, adding to the simmering tension throughout the movie. We almost feel like we are getting a too personal look inside the lives of suburban America and breaking the facade about how idyllic it is, especially in the scenes where Michael Shannon is present and questions them on their lives. Shannon is simply fantastic as the no-nonsense son of the neighbours who doesn't understand why anyone would aspire to this lifestyle and is openly hostile with his parents for putting up with each other.

John Givings Jr (Michael Shannon)

A slight criticism would be that the TV series Mad Men deals with similar issues as this film but in far greater depth and with more style, mainly due to the artistic freedom you get with working in TV with multiple series and longer air time. Both Winslet and DiCaprio turn in good performances if not slightly overshadowed by the few scenes that Michael Shannon appears in. The film does at times feel a bit clinical in its approach that takes away from the emotional feeling that you should take away from the film but the arguments between the pair quickly reel you back in. It's an impressive though not perfect film.

3/4 The end of the American dream is once again shattered to good effect