Revolutionary Road (2008)

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers (WGA):

Justin Haythe (screenplay)
Richard Yates (novel)

Release Date:

23 January 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A young couple living in a Connecticut suburb during the mid-1950s struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise their two children. Based on a novel by Richard Yates.

Plot Keywords:

Suburb | Connecticut | Children | Work | New York City

Awards:

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 21 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Wed. Dec. 30	12:00 AM	HBO
Sun. Jan. 3	11:00 PM	HBO

Cast

Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Frank Wheeler
Kate Winslet	...	April Wheeler
Michael Shannon	...	John Givings
Ryan Simpkins	...	Jennifer Wheeler
Ty Simpkins	...	Michael Wheeler
Kathy Bates	...	Mrs. Helen Givings
Richard Easton	...	Mr. Howard Givings
Sam Rosen	...	Party Guest #7
Maria Rusolo	...	Party Dancer #1
Gena Oppenheim	...	Party Dancer #2
Kathryn Dunn	...	Party Dancer #3
Joe Komara	...	Party Dancer #4
Allison Twyford	...	Party Dancer #5
David Harbour	...	Shep Campbell
John Ottavino	...	Other Actor in the Play #1

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity.

Runtime:

119 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #44282) | UK:15 | Netherlands:12 | South Africa:13LS | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:11 | Germany:12 (f) | South Korea:18 | Brazil:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Sweden:7 | Spain:13 | Argentina:13 | Peru:14 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Singapore:M18 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Australia:M | Mexico:B15

Filming Locations:

Beacon Falls, Connecticut, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The rights to adapt the book into a movie were bought in 1967.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When April explains that she can't pick up her children until that evening, the telephone handset has a modular phone jack, which was invented in the 1970s.

Quotes:

Frank Wheeler: Knowing what you've got, knowing what you need, knowing what you can do without - That's inventory control.

Movie Connections:

Featured in 15th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2009) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Happy Birthday

Truth is usually in singular - Lies always come in plural.

I saw an advance screening of Revolutionary Road in Beverly Hills, CA this evening (December 14th). A Q&A session followed the screening with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn, and screenwriter Justin Haythe. Photos from the Q&A are attached to this report.

Revolutionary Road is a story that you won't be able to shake easily. The film will stick in your head and leave you to contemplate what has just happened on the screen before you. Richard Yates gives us the story of Frank and April Wheeler, the seemingly perfect suburbia couple. We soon find out their marriage is teetering on the edge of a collapse as they are overwhelmed by the fact that they have each made the wrong choices in their lives.

Once again Kate Winselt and Leonardo DiCaprio come together with great chemistry, pulling the best out of each other. This is a heavy film with emotionally complex characters, I'm not sure I could think of any two actors that could pull off the roles of Frank and April Wheeler like Leonardo and Kate did.

"Truth is usually in singular - Lies always come in plural." I'm not sure who said that, but it is a notion that sums up this film.

Michael Shannon shinned in his role as the clinically insane son of Kathy Bates character; John Givings. Bates and Shannon both deliver humorous scenes to this heavy storyline, although there are times when you see the sadness and desperation in their characters as well. Michael Shannon's character, John Givings, is the truth in this film. Although clinically insane, he can see through everyone's lies and does the unthinkable; he forces everyone face their own truth.

I guarantee you will not be singing "My Heart Will Go On" after seeing this film. But you won't be disappointed with this little film gem.