Review of Revolutionary Road (2008) by Haley C — 26 Aug 2011

An incredible actors piece. Mendes' direction focuses completely on the performances of Winslet and DiCaprio, stripping away any excess that would potentially distract from those principles roles. What they do with all the screen time is riveting and it was wise to keep things out of their way.

The film is about a bunch of things. It despises the suburban sprawl. It sneeres at society & culture. It holds humans as creatures of passion condemned to various cages, aching for a breath of freedom. Corrupting themselves with restraint and uncertainty when faced with their truest dreams and desires. It's about our lack of fulfillment.

But mostly it feels like it's about watching two hours of a young middle class married couple fighting and falling completely apart. It's a pretty devastating movie, made even more-so by its raw and haunting realism. There was a pit in my stomach the entire time. And really, that's what makes it such powerful and worthwhile viewing. You may not feel you know the characters deeply well, but you see enough to know their desperation, and it's very real.