Eagerly Awaiting the DVD release (it's THAT good)!!!!

Rating: 10/10 (5 December 2008)

Just saw this movie. All I can say is: Wow! In this Richard Yates story portrayed through the lens of Mr. Mendes' camera, we enter the relationship of Frank and April Wheeler; a young married couple depicted brilliantly by DiCaprio and Winslet, who seem to be on the verge of marital and emotional collapse as their growing desperation and dissatisfaction with their town and their relationship leads them to think of an escape. There are some compelling, memorable, emotionally gripping scenes between DiCaprio and Winslet, which should interest acting students who wish to know what it means to be "in the moment". Additionally, there is the immensely talented Kathy Bates, whose humorous scenes balance out the heavily dramatic ones nicely and which are sure to leave a warm spot on your heart. Also adding humor to the movie is Michael Shannon as Bates' psychologically unstable son, who steals just about every scene he's in. There are moments where the dialogue can seem to feel cliché, but with everything else working so well, those moments can be forgiven. This is a film not to be missed. I've become a greater admirer of DiCaprio's acting ability as a result of this film, Winslet never disappoints, and Mendes adds another superb credit to his resume with this amazing film. December 26th. Save the date!!!