The story behind ‘Revolutionary Road’ is different – something that hasn’t been explored before, that I know of. It follows the mundane and compromised life of an average 1950s suburban couple who had dreams of so much more. But due to, what seems to be the ubiquitous catalyst for compromise, the arrival of children, Frank and April Wheeler find themselves living the stereotyped American nuclear family story. As the suppressed housewife, April, played by Kate Winslet, devises a plan for the couple and their two children to move to Paris and live a more interesting and exciting life. Frank, Leonardo DiCaprio, reluctantly agrees and things seem to become more promising for the family, until the arrival of another compromise – April is expecting another baby. From here, the trappings of comfort, stability and a steady pay cheque become too tempting and secure for Frank to turn his back on, and so their hopes, again, are dashed. April quickly spirals into a well of depression, trapped and overwhelmed by the inescapability of her monotonous and sole-destroying situation.
Though it is an interesting concept to explore, the movie didn’t seem to delve far enough into the psyches of the characters in order for us to empathise with them. Particularly in the character of April, one wonders why she is so unhappy – more so than any housewife at the time may have been – and why she goes to such drastic measures to escape her miserable existence. Though it is entirely plausible for a woman to have felt as trapped and isolated as April did, the movie itself did not facilitate the psychological connection between her situation and her mindset. This is just one example in what I would call a dramatically ambiguous movie. It felt as though director Sam Mendes took the audience to a certain point in the sporadic and abruptly-arrived-at dramatic moments, but wasn’t able to take us all the way to the peak of these moments – something was definitely lacking.
And yet, there was still something about the movie which I found intriguing. Perhaps it is the steady downward spiral of April, or the parallel settlement into complacency that her husband takes as they both fail to take charge of the circumstances in which they find themselves. Or the way in which such a story has relevance and familiarity to many who still feel the pressures of family life and the continued compromises this demands.
This is why I can’t figure out this movie – its ambiguity has cast a shroud of indecision over my judgement. Perhaps if anyone else out there has seen it, and has more of a solid opinion, you can cast some light on this movie for me. [Image from http://reeldebate.wordpress.com/2009/10/]
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