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. Based on a novel by Richard Yates.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writers:

Justin Haythe (screenplay), Richard Yates (novel)

Stars:

Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Fitzgerald

Nominated for 3 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 26 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
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 ...

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Plot Keywords:

connecticut | suburb | children | work | new york city | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [fr]

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sólo un sueño

Filming Locations:

Beacon Falls, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£1,013,548 (UK) (30 January 2009)

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

Todd Field had planned to follow up In the Bedroom with this film, but he decided to make Little Children (also starring Kate Winslet and Ty Simpkins) instead.

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Goofs

Near the beginning, when Frank and April are standing alongside their parked car on the side of the road, a 1958 Buick passes by.

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Quotes

April Wheeler: And you know what's so good about the truth? Everyone knows what it is, no matter how long they've lived without it.

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Crazy Credits

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

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Lady Bird"
Written by Tadd Dameron
Performed by Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers
Courtesy of Blue Note Records
Under license from EMI Film & Television Music

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.