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| Movie Review: Revolutionary Road Alternate Title: Rocky Road
Story: I loved this movie. I
loved everything about it. I loved the acting, the lighting, the direction,
the nuance, the sets, the music and the classical tale of lost hopes
and dreams. No one does suburban angst and the rot under the white picket
fence better than director Sam Mendes (American
Beauty) with a screenplay by Justin Haythe, based
on the 1961 novel by Richard Yates. Frank and April Wheeler thought life would be different. It is sometime
in the 1950's, when divorce was rare, and the young Wheelers find themselves
after two kids and seven years of marriage stuck in the suburbs. They
are angry at themselves, each other and anything else that comes their
way. What happened to their dreams? Their marriage. like so many others,
turns out to be filled with compromise, hopelessness, dead ends and
boredom. They have come to that moment when they realize that 'this
is it'. That's all she wrote. So they decide to pack it all in and move
to Paris. To dream the impossible dream. What happens to their marriage, their dreams, their flawed lives is
the essence of their story. It would have been wonderful to have had
'we will always have Paris' as my alternate title in this powerful film. Watch the trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpra9OEw6nQ Acting: Leonardo DiCaprio is perfect
s Frank Wheeler. He is young, flawed and intense. Kate Winslet
can do no wrong in my book. Brava to her. Kathy Bates
is always the consummate actor. Michael Shannon as
the imbalanced neighbor almost steals the show. Kathryn Hahn,
David Harbour and Zoe Kazan round out the
ensemble cast.
Trivia: Director Sam Mendes won the
Oscar for Best Director in 200 for American Beauty and is married to
Kate Winslet. Kate Winslet has very large feet and
wears size 11 shoes. She is the youngest actress ever to be nominated
for two Academy Awards (for Sense and Sensibility (1995) and Titanic
(1997)) (Aged 20 and 22 respectively). [1998]. She holds a unique position
in Academy Awards history: Only twice have two actresses been nominated
for playing the same character in the same film. The first two were
Gloria Stuart and Kate in Titanic (1997). The second two were Judi Dench
and Kate in Iris (2001/I). When Leonardo DiCaprio was
five years old, he was in an educational TV program, called "Romper
Room" (1953) and was nearly kicked off for uncontrollable behavior.
He was offered the role of the porn star Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights
(1997) at around the same time as he was offered his role in Titanic
(1997). The Dirk Diggler role eventually went to Mark Wahlberg.
Predilection: None - well, that is not true. I like
Sam Mendes, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Critters: A little lap beagle
Food: Egg salad has a big role as do scrambled eggs.
Also noted was corned beef sandwiches, pie and lots of meat and potatoes.
Sex Spectrum: There is sex but no body parts - unusual
in a film with Kate Winslet.
Blatant Product Placement: Every liquor label imaginable.
Soundtrack: Exceptional track by long time collaborator
Thomas Newman
Opening Titles: A long introductory sequence before
just the title is shown. All credits at end of film.
Visual Art: Detail was perfect by cinematographer
Roger Deakins. He managed to make us feel claustrophobic
even out of doors.
Theater Audience: My secret balcony is not secret
anymore. Sigh.
Weather: The season of their discontent takes place
over one summer in Connecticut.
Sappy Factor: 0
Drift Factor: I was riveted throughout.
Predictability Level: I figured out what was going
to happen about half way through the film but it did not spoil anything
for me.
Tissue Usage: 0
Oscar Worthy: Yes.
Big Screen or Rental: Big screen for sure. How about
renting the amazing American Beauty if you have not seen that
gem.
Length: Two hours
LOBO HOWLS: 9
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