Powerhouse performances of Winslet and DiCaprio carry this painfully beautiful film to new level.

Rating: 8/10 (17 January 2009)

Walking into the theater to see "Revolutionary Road" with some friends of mine, I expected nothing more but a remarkable performance by long lost co-stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. I was given much, much more than I paid for. Although the film adaptation doesn't hold a candle to Yates' actually story telling, Winslet's and DiCaprio's exceptional portrayal of Frank and April Wheeler really take you straight to 115 Revolutionary Road and give you a front row seat to possibly one of the greatest screen performances of 2009
"Revolutionary Road" is that kind of movie that not only teaches us a truth we don't want to believe but shoves it in your face all at the same time. It's very unfortunate that the film couldn't live up to the novel it was based on, but it came very, very close. The script, flawed as it is does give its main characters a certain life to them that draws its audience in, but soon once an audience member accepts the invitation they don't want to stay because of what they see; the truth. Despite the very familiar premise of the story, "Revolutionary Road" does what most martial dramas aren't anymore; they make the audience leave the theater with a lesson learned. Mendes makes you really question the assumed sophisticated living of fifties suburban life.
Simply put, DiCaprio and Winslet carried this movie all on their own. This being the first movie they've worked on together since "Titanic", I came with high hopes but also some doubts. I felt that their performance in this movie wouldn't even come close to falcon punch of a performance in Titanic. I have no hesitation to say that their work in this film surpassed their performance in Titanic in all aspects. The chemistry they established in Titanic really was shown in this film. Even as their characters hated each other, you felt the heat of passion that radiated from their scene work. Also, I tip my hat to the surprising performance of Michael Shannon portraying the clinically disturbed "John Givings". He really did justice to the part he was given; I was utterly convinced by his performance. I think it's safe to say that the cast of this movie is what brought to the level it's on.
This is not a film for the whole family, but this a film that should be seen nonetheless. Don't go to this movie with fascination of a story in mind, come for a soon-to-be classic performance of two incredible artists.