A good film but one which never quite escapes the confines it puts itself in

Rating: 7/10 (15 December 2008)

I saw Revolutionary Road this evening and to be honest before sitting down to watch it I was sceptical. Was this to be an American Beauty rip off? A blatant ploy for Oscar glory? In the end my fears were allayed, it's a very good piece. What makes this film are the lead performances, Winslet and Dicaprio are both outstanding. Their characters crack and crumble before your eyes. You believe completely in these wrecks of people, and as their lives go from one turmoil to the next you will them to make the right decisions and feel for them when things go wrong.
I felt that the main problem with the film was the plot. I have no quibbles with what does happen in the film it just to me felt that not enough happened in the 2 hour running time, it set its self as a look at a conflict between a married couple and that was its downfall. There is very little else other the arguments of a married couple and in the end that gets a little tiring.
I would though say that this film is well worth a watch, the performances are terrific and it is beautifully shot, I just don't think it is the seminal commentary on marriage it sets out to be.