Revolutionary Road

Rating: 6/10 (6 January 2012)

From Golden Globe nominated director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition, Jarhead), the leading actress's then husband, it had been eleven years since the stars of Titanic had worked together, and this is an all together different mood of film. Basically Frank Wheeler (Golden Globe nominated Leonardo DiCaprio) met April (Golden Globe winning, and BAFTA nominated Kate Winslet) met each other at a party in the 1940s, and after he secures a sales career they get married, and 1955, they live in 115 Revolutionary Road, Connecticut, and have two children, son Michael (Ty Simpkins) and daughter Jennifer (Ryan Simpkins). To many people, including their friends, real estate business worker Helen Givings (Kathy Bates) and her husband Howard (Richard Easton), and neighbours Milly Campbell (Kathryn Hahn) and her husband Shep (David Harbour), they seem like any regular happy couple with a good suburban family life. But Frank and April's relationship is troubled, as she has failed to achieve her dream to be an actress and is forced to be housewife, and he is working in a New York City office job he hates, it has become a repetitive lifestyle and the passion is fading. One day, thinking it will make things better for both of them, and possibly the whole family, April suggests they should move to Paris, France, a place that Frank once said he would love to live in since he enjoyed it so much, and at first this sounds a big decision to make. As part of the plan to move, it would mean April would be the one bringing in the money from working a high salary secretarial job for a major international organisation, leaving Frank free to decide about his options and what to do, and after initial concern he agrees it sounds like a great idea. They tell all that would need to know about their plan to move to Paris, and there are mixed opinions from those, such as their friends they have known for years, and especially from Frank's work colleagues. Circumstances change for him, and even though he has never liked the work he does, it has been considered most satisfactory, he is even being offered a promotion with higher salary, and with April pregnant again there are second thoughts from him. She is contemplating having an abortion because of the tension between them, and this angers Frank so much that he concludes moving to Paris is a decision and dream too big to make a reality, and he accepts the promotion at work. One night April has Shep coming onto her, but she denies his advances, and the next day Frank admits to (apparently) having an affair with his office assistant, hoping his wife will have some sort of reaction, but she responds by saying that it no longer matters as she does not love him any more. That night they have the Givings round for dinner, including their troubled son John (Oscar nominated Michael Shannon) joining him, and John really lets rip about his opinions about Frank apparently getting April pregnant on purpose, and the friends run out in the heat of the moment. Frank and April have another big argument as well, to the point when she runs away, and after trying to get her back going after her, he goes back feeling low. Next morning they seem surprisingly calm having breakfast together, their moods improved, but right after Frank has left the house she takes the horrific action to give herself an abortion to the baby that has developed after a few weeks, but this proves fatal for her. Frank is hysterical in grief because he knows she killed herself killing the unborn baby, but apparently he continued to work at the company with the upcoming computer technology, and devoted all his time to his children. Also starring Happiness's Dylan Baker as Jack Ordway. Both DiCaprio and Winslet are extraordinary being so realistic in the domestic environment, and they really emphasise that life cannot be perfect as they come to terms with the heartaches thrown at them, it works really well because you can relate to the hardships they face, and the dark hard hitting material such as unwanted pregnancy and abortion doesn't disappoint to grip you, it is most watchable period drama. It was nominated the Oscar for Best Art Direction and Best Costume Design, it was nominated the BAFTA for Best Costume Design, Best Production Design and Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama. Good!