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 20 wins & 70 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, are in the 'seven year itch' of their marriage; they're not happy. April has forgone her dream of being an actress, and Frank hates his job. One day, April suggests they move to Paris as a means to rejuvenate their life.

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Plot Keywords:

unhappy love | abortion | beach | shower | bare chested male | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film marked the second time Kate Winslet has been in a movie where she makes love in a vintage car, and someone's hand hits the window and slides down it in the throes of passion. The first time was in Titanic (1997).

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Goofs

The magazines in the Wheelers' living room, and Frank's Berlitz guidebook, are dog-eared and browned. They're probably from 1955, but they look like they're 50 or 60 years old.

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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 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.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Inception/Predators/The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

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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

Thought-provoking and sad.

Having been a 50s housewife with children at home and a husband who wanted to be anywhere but there, this movie was familiar territory. How many of us in those years simply packed our dreams away for the immediate necessity of putting food on the table and paying the mortgage? Di Caprio is outstanding, as is Winslet, she having to deal with an American accent along with the tearing emotions. I didn't see that anyone picked up on the final scene, of Kathy Bates and her husband, but to me that was the whole moral of the story - here is where you will end up if you give in to what you know is not right for you. Overall, though, well done - except women in the 50s did NOT wear hats to work!!

Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 January 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Revolutionary Road

Filming Locations:

Beacon Falls, Connecticut, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$189,911, 28 December 2008

Gross USA:

$22,911,480

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$75,981,180

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, BBC Films, Evamere Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1