a thoughtful, intelligent look at a specific era

Rating: Null/10 (10 December 2018)

Suffocating period piece explores the fickle dichotomy of American suburbia in the 1950s. Married with two children, Frank and April Wheeler are the seemingly perfect couple to everyone in their monotonous Connecticut neighborhood, but there's a severe strain in their relationship. Failed actress and dreamer April yearns to escape their ordinary, stifling existence, while cynical realist Frank hates his job, frets over finances, and has been reduced to a product of his environment. Not exactly the dream scenario for the long-awaited reunion of DiCaprio and Winslet who were so compelling as star-crossed lovers in the epic Titanic, yet this is clearly a testament to their acting ability as they're able to faultlessly portray a relationship that's the polar opposite of what we saw on screen back in 1997. Story has some lulls here and there, but is elevated by strong acting, interesting characters, pivotal themes, and a vivid sense of time and place. ***