Revolutionary Road review
Although The Reader is getting all of the Winslet-related attention, her performance here is marginally more interesting and impressive. It is her role alone that warrants a viewing of Revolutionary Road, a film based on the novel by Richard Yates about the crumbling dreams, and subsequent crumbling marriage, of a couple in a 1950s American suburb. Leonardo DiCaprio also delivers possibly his best performance to date and Michael Shannon, appearing all too infrequently, deserves a special mention as the scene-stealing deranged plain-speaking shatterer of delusions.
The film focuses on the characters rather than the 1950s backdrop, which isn’t a problem, works for the film, and has drawn unfair criticism, however different to the book it may be. The general feel remains atmospheric, with Roger Deakins’ cinematography brilliantly complementing Sam Mendes’ direction.
Kathy Bates is the centre point of an amusing scene at the end of the film, but this, and especially the preceding scene, are unnecessary epilogues; the film should have ended 5 minutes earlier. This is a minor criticism, however, and doesn’t detract too much from what is a highly recommended movie.
31st Jan 2009
