Robin PottratzReview: Talented cast make it worth trip to "Revolutionary Road" *** stars out of 4
January 16th 2009 21:48
Kate and Leo Reunite in Rough "Revolutionary Road"
It is being billed as the great reuniting of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio...or if you prefer, "Kate and Leo"... since their doomed voyage on the Titanic. Ten years and a billion dollars later, Kate and Leo have emerged as great adult actors. Know this now... the only thing that their re-teaming in Revolutionary Road has in common with Titanic are the names on the marquee. All of the romance and "Jack, I'm Flying" moments have been replaced by cold, heartless actions, suburban malaise and frustration, and domestic discourse unleashed with acid tongues.
Revolutionary Road has all of the ingredients for a contemporary American classic. Great Actors? Check. Tough yet memorable material? Check. Beautiful scenery that seems to be hiding something else? Check. So why isn't Revolutionary Road being hailed as a new career high for all of those involved? The reason is that Director Sam Mendes (AKA Mr. Kate Winslet) has faltered in his narrative execution. For about 100 minutes of its 119 minute running time, Revolutionary Road runs solidly, building characters that we may not like...but are always interested in. Then the film runs off the rails and delivers a forced ending that leaves the audience feeling cheated and unsatisfied.
However, the first hour and a half of Revolutionary Road, are very satisfying and thought-provoking. We meet Frank Wheeler (DiCaprio) as he is wooing his future wife, wannabe actress April (Winslet) at a cocktail party in Manhattan. April is entranced with Frank's tales of his adventures in Paris, which he tells with smooth syntax "people are alive there...not like here." Flash forward 10 years, Frank and April are married, have a suburban house, two kids, and a yearning for something more.
Frank and April are under the delusions that they are better than what they truly are. Frank works at a job that he hates (he's in office machines) while April is a housewife who suffers a personal setback when the community theatre production that she is the star of flops. They fight all the time and cannot contain their misery with themselves...and with each other.
Then one night, April comes up with a plan to pack up the kids and move to Paris, where she will work as a government secretary and he will pursue his artistic endeavors. To all those around them (including those of us in the audience) the plan sounds foolish...but not to the unhappily wed Wheelers who view Paris as a symbol of a life that should have been theirs to begin with.
They seem all ready to go...until Frank receives a promotion and April has a third (unwanted) pregnancy. In one swoop all of their fragile dreams are destroyed. After that, their marriage delves further into ruins and the fights become uglier and uglier.
Revolutionary Road is an extremely tough film to take. The dialogue is so vicious that you have to shield yourself. Luckily, the actors see you through...for the most part. Kate Winslet continues to prove why she is one of the most underrated and best actresses on the planet. She nails every nuance in the unsatisfied hubris of April Wheeler. Whether it is making breakfast after an intense fight or seducing a married neighbor, (David Harbour) Winslet hits all the right notes. Winslet shows that April Wheeler always seems to have devastating sadness hidden just below the surface. Her skill allows us to find sympathy in what truly is an unsympathetic character.
Leonardo DiCaprio is interesting in this film. He exudes the heartthrob charm that made him a star, whether it be in scenes where he is connecting with April or seducing a secretary (Zoe Kazan). However, I don't know if he is the right actor for this role. When clean shaven and dressed in a suit...he still resembles a boy...not the man that the story calls for. He is able to deliver a solid performance, but he is simply not up to the level of Winslet or the nuance that this material requires. I think that DiCaprio is supremely talented...but I just don't think he is right for a part this emotionally draining.
All of the supporting players deliver, Kathy Bates is excellent as a gossipy realtor, but the real performance to watch in this film is Michael Shannon as John Givings, an institutionalized mathematician whose primary handicap is speaking the truth with devastating venom. Shannon plays the role like a bloodhound sniffing out the scent of hypocrisy and BS and sounding his call when he has found it. He spews out the hurtful truth without hesitation or mercy. At first Frank and April find him amusing, until John turns his guns on them and their failed plans and rotting marriage. Shannon is only in a few scenes but he steals every one...it is a truly mesmerizing performance...easily one of the years best.
It is a shame that in a film this intriguing, with actors this talented, that Revolutionary Road lands with such a perplexing thud. The ending delves into the darkest territories in the entire film, which is saying something given this material, but it just goes too far. Director Sam Mendes' film will inevitably deal with comparisons to his other film about suburban devastation American Beauty, but when that film came to its dark ending, we were left unsettled...not groaning like in Revolutionary Road. Sam Mendes is a talented filmmaker, but it may be time to step away from the backdrop of suburbia, he seems to have lost his touch for it.
Aside from the bumpy landing, Revolutionary Road is a film to see for anyone who is interested in seeing a master class in acting. For all of the film's flaws, the actors are able to hold you in thrall and guide you through the tricky maze of Justin Haythe's screenplay and Sam Mendes' direction.
My only piece of advice for those who journey down Revolutionary Road is to stay with Winslet and Shannon through the rough patches...they will see you through.
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