Road To Destruction

Rating: Null/10 (20 March 2009)

Sam Mendes who had earlier given us the marvelous 'American Beauty' and the fantastic 'Road To Perdition' is now back with a harsh and disturbing portrayal of the intimate (or lack of it) relationship between a married couple. Though the film is set in the fifties, the dilemmas, moral conflicts, despair, depression and hopelessness holds relevant even for today's world.
Given the solid screenplay, Mendes does not waste time to contrast the relationship pre and post marriage. That one scene in the beginning is enough to demonstrate that these two people, who instantly hit it off, had dreams and aspirations. Soon marriage happens, and then children and thus their dreams are pushed further away until it becomes nothing but a distant dream. Frank works a 10hour/day job that he hates and April is the ultimate desperate housewife.
Mendes has an eye for visuals and 'Revolutionary Road' is no different. Every frame is stunning to look at. The cinematography and score only enhance the mood of the scenes.
Leonardo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet reunite after about 11 years, this time with something much more challenging than silly candy-floss romance. One can easily see how both have matured as actors. Although I did find Dicaprio to overact in several scenes and at times he's a little too weepy but his best scenes are with Winslet who delivers a very natural performance by depicting the despair and sadness of the ultimate desperate housewife. The supporting cast is commendable. Michael Shannon steals the show while Kathryn Hahn and Kathy Bates are good.
'Revolutionary Road' is quite daring with its stark portrayal of a marriage gone so sour that it has become poisonous. Mendes has been known to deal with risky subject matters and here too he gives it the right treatment. Had the script gone to a lesser director, then the 'Revolutionary Road' could have easily failed.