Can you imagine packing up your family and relocating to Paris – without having a job? Would you do it?
That’s what April suggests to her husband Frank. Frank loves Paris, and has dreamed returning to that European city. Frank hates his office job, so April suggests they pack up their two children, sell their house, Frank can quit his job, and they can relocate to Paris. April offers to work while Frank “finds himself” by discovering what he wants to do once they move.
I had a hard time getting into this movie. I thought it was kind of slow – slow and a bit confusing. Granted, I was sick with a temperature while I watched it, so, maybe that affected my opinion. There were some flashbacks, and I was kind of confused when I saw that April was an actress at the beginning of the movie. Then, I’m assuming it flashes back in time to April and Frank meeting at a party. April’s acting career is not mentioned again, which is odd. (Unless, I missed their mentioning it.)
April and Frank are not a happy couple. They argue all the time, but, it’s hard to pinpoint their source of discontent. They have two children and live in a quaint home on Revolutionary Road. They’re living the American Dream, and others think highly of April and Frank Wheeler. They even become friends with their real estate agent and her adult psychotic son – a son who has the ability to accurately guess people’s problems and emotions.
This movie reminded me of a foreign film. I’ve noticed that foreign films don’t always make a lot of sense. I know that Frank and April are not happy, but, it’s hard to figure out why. Frank is disgruntled with his job, so he finds solace with a girl in the typing pool. April is a suburban housewife who takes care of the house. Her love for Frank has dwindled – she also finds brief solace in the arms of her next door neighbor. It appears this movie is about lost dreams? I felt there should have been an event….or SOMETHING to explain why this couple is so unhappy.
I was also confused about the ending. April and Frank have a HUGE ARGUMENT, and then, the next morning, April is acting like the perfect wife, making Frank’s breakfast, as if the events of the previous night never happened. Weird…
When I saw April acting totally different than she had the night before, I thought…”Ahh, she’s scitzophrenic.” I figured she had a split personality and that would explain the whole reason of discontent within their marriage – she was really TWO personalities. That was a totally wrong assumption!
Another thing I noticed, which was also a bit weird – Frank and April’s children are not shown very much. You see them breiefly, maybe, two times?
I’m thinking that if I read the book, some of the loose threads in the story could be explained? Such a tragic story, tragic and sad. I doubt I’ll watch this movie again.
I felt that the author of the book/movie was trying to get his point across that the American Dream is not all that it’s cracked up to be. I wish I could’ve written a better movie review, but, this is the best that I could do considering I felt the movie was very incomplete. I only watched Revolutionary Road because I loved Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic. I was very disappointed in Revolutionary Road. This movie was a far cry from Titanic.
Have you seen Revolutionary Road or read the book? If so, what’d you think about it?
Sounds like a movie to give a miss. Actually I may love romance novels but I dont really like alot of these movies. Don’t know why.
I hate movies that take alot to get into also. Just like books If I dont connect within the first few chapters I tend to not finish them.
(thanks also for commenting on my post)
You’re welcome, Jenny! I love visiting the blogs of writers and readers and leaving comments! So much fun!
I think Revolutionary Road may have been advetised as a romance-type movie due to Leonardo and Kate playing the leading roles, plus, they’re a married couple.
However, IMHO, I didn’t think it was a romance movie. Actually, I consider the the complete opposite of a romance movie, an unhappy relationship movie with an unhappy ending. Not sure how to categorize it, though! Can’t think of a good label to use!