Plot: What’s it about?
“Titanic” was the movie that made Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio international stars. Two star-crossed lovers were trying to escape a sinking ship and fell in love in the process. That was 11 years ago and Hollywood is cyclical as we’re experiencing the same thing now with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson from the “Twilight” films. Ok, well, that’s all fine and good but pretty much anyone who’s a fan of film has wanted Leo and Kate to star in another movie together. That opportunity came last year when Richard Yates’ acclaimed novel “Revolutionary Road” was getting its big screen adaptation. I wasn’t personally familiar with the book and let me just say that anyone who’s expecting a revamp of their characters from “Titanic” might need to look somewhere else (and preserve their memories). This is a different kind of chemistry between the Leo and Kate we saw in 1997, but nevertheless it’s something that works; albeit on a different level.
“Revolutionary Road” takes place smack dab in the middle of the Baby Boom era in 1955. Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) works at the Knox corporate office as did has father. He hates his job, but does it to support his wife and kids. April (Kate Winslet) is the epitome of the housewife in the suburbs complete with Donna Reed dress and all. On his birthday April has a revelation that they should sell their house, move to Paris and she’ll get a government job to support the family. Frank goes for the idea and the wheels are in motion. But, Frank’s new laissez-faire attitude at work somehow gets him noticed at work and he’s offered (and accepts) a promotion complete with more money. This puts a damper on the plans to move abroad and it doesn’t sit well with April. To make matters worse, April learns she’s pregnant with another child and as the family spirals out of control, Frank tries to do what’s right.
“Revolutionary Road” is sort of the anti-“Titanic”. The two who we so fell in love with a decade ago are now playing two people who once loved each other; yet can’t even stand the sight of one another. I’m sure this played a major factor in casting Leo and Kate. As for the performances, well, these two haven’t lost their touch. Yes it might not make us happy, but there’s no denying that these are two of the better actors working today. Winslet snagged a Golden Globe for her role here and for her role in “The Reader” as well, which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress to boot. Leo, as so often happens, was overlooked for his role of Frank but I imagine that his day will come. Those looking for a sort of “Titanic 2.0” will be very disappointed here but anyone wanting to see some great performances in a fine movie will be enticed, for sure.
Video: How does it look?
The film is shown in a beautiful-looking 2.40:1 AVC HD transfer that showcases what suburban life in the 50’s must have been like. The film was nominated for an Oscar in Art Direction (though it lost to “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) but this Blu-ray transfer shows off the meticulous detail that went into the film. Speaking of detail, the image looks superb. Colors are a bit on the muted side, though contrast is strong and the Connecticut landscape looks amazing. I noticed a few scenes were on the softer side, but all in all it’s a great transfer and certainly we’d expect nothing less from a movie of this caliber.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby TrueHD soundtrack could use a jump start, then again I don’t imagine that audio was what the filmmakers had in mind when they were adapting this book for the screen. There’s really only one thing to talk about here and that’s dialogue. This movie has plenty of it and it’s reasonably strong and well-centered throughout the film. There are a few scenes when the other channels become involved, but mainly this is all about the talking. I really wasn’t expecting a lot from the audio here and though it technically delivered, nothing really stood out as being memorable.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The supplemental package is fair here with an very engaging commentary by Academy Award winning director Sam Mendes (and also Kate Winslet’s husband). Mendes gives us the low down on the script, and of course the casting of Leo and Kate. He’s joined by screenwriter Justin Haythe who gives us his insight into the book and the filming of the movie as well. There are a series of deleted scenes with optional commentary by Mendes and Haythe. The main draw is “Lives of Quiet Desperation” which is your standard “Making of…” featurette. We do get some good behind the scenes footage and a bit of backstory into the film (though if you’ve listened to the commentary, it’s redundant). Lastly “Richard Yates: The Wages of Truth” features a little tidbit on the author of the book. The original theatrical trailer is shown in HD (as are all the features) as well.
