Revolutionary Road

Directed by Sam Mendes, the man who brought the world American Beauty and Road to Perdition, Revolutionary Road brings to life the tale of a suburban couple who struggle to cope with their dreary existence, an experience made worse when they have children.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the husband, Oscar winner Kate Winslett plays the wife; a seemingly perfect couple whose lives are changed dramatically when they have to raise their children. The stale environment of Frank’s (DiCaprio) office job offers him extra-marital affairs, whilst April (Winslett) resorts to her own external pleasures to cure her dreary role as the desperate housewife.

The film plays out wonderfully, presenting at a gentle pace the process through which the once happy couple realise that suburban married life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and are met head-on with the revelation that they are never going to be happy with one another, unable to fulfil their needs and constantly looking for a way out of the life they have built for themselves. Delusional, for the dream of moving out of the country, they reassure themselves that their time will come for them to be genuinely content with life in another land, away from the homeland pressures. Michael Shannons, playing the formidable John Givings who unveils the truth in front of their very eyes, is notable for delivering a truly gruesome and totally convincing performance as he shatters their dreams and the very hopes they base their stale lives upon.

The film has sadly been mostly overlooked at the Oscars, and it seems unlikely that the three aforementioned stars will not considered for their respective roles but for what it’s worth, Revolutionary Road deserves praise. It delivers an emotional rollercoaster ride, lifts the lid on the supposedly idyllic world of suburban marriage and is fantastic to watch in all respects. One of the best films of 2009.

8/10