Revolutionary Road

What’s the Story?

"It takes a backbone to lead the life you want," declares April Wheeler (Kate Winslet), a twentysomething 1950s mother of two who's rediscovering her own spine in this forceful drama based on a novel by Richard Yates. Stuck in the 'burbs, her ennui increasing with each passing day and her marriage headed for the rocks, she begs her husband, Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio), to chuck it all and head to Paris. Meanwhile, Frank whiles away the days trying to do as little work as possible at the Manhattan office where his father once clocked hours. His discontent is growing, and he wonders why his life has become strained. April's plea steers him down the road not taken, but he's not as sure as his wife that he wants to take that route. Will what's meant to save them lead to their undoing?

Is It Any Good?

There's no doubting Winslet's acting prowess. Her April is wasted, exhausted, emotionally spent, and fighting to be alive. It's a sight to behold. As man-child Frank -- who can't quite reach his lost wife because he's lost himself -- DiCaprio starts out as if playacting but soon delivers a performance so raw that you forget who he is; by the movie's end, it feels as if we're intruding, but we can't look away -- he's that compelling. The rest of the cast is also strong.

But like April and Frank, who once seemed destined for a bright future, REVOLUTIONARY ROAD doesn't fulfill its promise. Though beautifully shot and well-acted, the film is hobbled by somewhat prosaic storytelling. Expository scenes come one after another, relieved by equally expository flashbacks. (AMC's Mad Men does this era so much better.) Yates' novel, on the other hand, is near perfect and heartbreakingly observant. Which isn't to say that our hearts aren't broken by the movie version; they are. But we recover quickly -- and with material as powerful as this, we really shouldn't be able to walk away intact.