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What happens to an (American) dream deferred? Ask Frank and April Wheeler..
but in a good way?
“What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore--
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?”
Is it possible to be in a state of pure bliss and a state of unrelenting depression at the same time? Well, it must be because that’s how I feel right now thanks to bleak suburban brilliance that is Revolutionary Road.
To give you some sort of understanding of how much I loved this movie, let me just say that the first thing I did when I left the theatre was run to Indigo and pick up the novel the film is based on. I couldn’t seem to think about anything else. I needed more of this mucked up suburban world I had been exposed to for the last two hours. Considering how dark things get on Revolutionary Road, I’m not sure that my hunger is a really healthy thing but at this point, I don’t care. The movie was too good not to obsess at least slightly about.
But enough about me. Let’s talk about this fantastic flick. I don’t want to give away too much because YOU NEED TO SEE THIS MOVIE, but, I will say that is utterly gut-wrenching. I left the movie theatre over 4 hours ago and I’m still recovering. Just when you think things are getting rosy in April and Frank’s lacklustre lives, things take a thousand dark turns down the alley to Devestationville. Many people will compare this movie to American Beauty due to it's similar issues (American dreams deferred) and the fact that it's also a Sam Mendes film, but the Wheelers seem much darker than the Burnhams could ever be. While American Beauty had some hysterically hilarious moments ("Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus."), things are strictly serious on Revolutionary Road.
Although the movie has a chock-full of overwhelmingly great moments, there are two scenes at the end of the film that will stay with you for a long time, one which involves breakfast and another which involves stained fabric. Sure, stains and morning meals may sound like lame start-points for drama but trust me, in context, they are literally heart-wrenching.
In addition to being bitterly beautiful, this movie features too many amazing performances. Both Kate and Leo are deserving of Oscars (it's about time people!) and Michael Shannon is phenomenal as the Wheelers’ mentally ill neighbour, John.
I could go on forever about this movie but to be honest, I might fall apart if I do. Just go see it. I can’t promise you will come out feeling uplifted (if you do, there’s seriously something wrong with you) but it will make you take a long hard look at your life and where it’s going. I don’t know about you, but that alone is a sign of something supremely special.
stressed
