Revolutionary Road (2008)

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.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers:

Justin Haythe (screenplay), Richard Yates (novel)

Stars:

Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Christopher Fitzgerald

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 19 wins & 62 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Winslet	...	April Wheeler
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Frank Wheeler
Christopher Fitzgerald	...	Party Guest
Jonathan Roumie	...	Party Guest
Neal Bledsoe	...	Party Guest
Marin Ireland	...	Party Guest
Samantha Soule	...	Party Guest
Heidi Armbruster	...	Party Guest
Sam Rosen	...	Party Guest
Maria Rusolo	...	Party Dancer
Gena Oppenheim	...	Party Dancer
Kathryn Dunn	...	Party Dancer
Joe Komara	...	Party Dancer (as Joe Kamara)
Allison Twyford	...	Party Dancer
David Harbour	...	Shep Campbell

Storyline

It's 1955. Frank and April Wheeler, in the seventh year of their marriage, have fallen into a life that appears to most as being perfect. They live in the Connecticut suburbs with two young children. Frank commutes to New York City where he works in an office job while April stays at home as a housewife. But they're not happy. April has forgone her dream of becoming an actress, and Frank hates his job - one where he places little effort - although he has never figured out what his passion in life is. One day, April suggests that they move to Paris - a city where Frank visited during the war and loved, but where April has never been - as a means to rejuvenate their life. April's plan: she would be the breadwinner, getting a lucrative secretarial job for one of the major international organizations, while Frank would have free time to find himself and whatever his passion. Initially skeptical, Frank ultimately agrees to April's plan. When circumstances change around the Wheelers, April ...

---

Plot Keywords:

based on novel | children | suburb | connecticut | work | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [France]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Zeiten des Aufruhrs

Filming Locations:

Beacon Falls, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$189,911 (USA) (26 December 2008)

Gross:

$22,877,808 (USA) (27 March 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, BBC Films, Evamere Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Shot in sequence.

---

Goofs

The morning after Frank and April decide to move to Paris, Frank leaves the house wearing a dark red tie. He wears the same tie in the office, when he tells the boys he's moving. Frank's tie is light yellow at lunch; in fact, everyone's tie is different. When he gets back to the office, his tie is red.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Frank Wheeler: So, what do you do?
April Wheeler: I'm studying to be an actress. You?
Frank Wheeler: I'm a longshoreman.
April Wheeler: No, I'm mean, really.
Frank Wheeler: I mean really, too. Although starting next Monday I'm doing something a little more glamorous.
April Wheeler: What's that?
Frank Wheeler: Night cashier at a cafeteria.
April Wheeler: I don't mean how you make money. I mean, what are you interested in?
Frank Wheeler: Honey, if I had the answer to that one, I bet I'd bore us both to death in half an hour.

---

Crazy Credits

At the end of the closing credits: "For Mia and Joe."

---

Connections

Featured in The Orange British Academy Film Awards (2009)

---

Soundtracks

Count Every Star
Written by Sammy Gallop, Bernard Paul Michel and Bruno Coquatrix
Performed by The Ravens
Courtesy of Savoy Jazz

User Reviews

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.