Revolutionary Road (2008)
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A couple's marriage begins to unravel as they struggle with the pressures of suburban life and their own personal desires.
The story
Set from the late 1940s to the mid-1950s, the film follows Frank and April Wheeler, a couple living in suburban Connecticut. While they appear to be the perfect couple to their neighbors and friends, their relationship is secretly troubled. April struggles with her lack of success as an actress, while Frank finds his steady job as a cashier and salesman tedious. As they navigate the complexities of their domestic life and the pressures of their environment, the cracks in their marriage begin to widen, leading to a desperate search for a way to escape their mundane existence.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1947, Frank Wheeler, a man with a steady job, meets and marries April, who dreams of being an actress. They move to a house in suburban Connecticut. While they appear perfect to their neighbors, they are deeply unhappy; April feels trapped and Frank is bored by his routine. When April becomes pregnant, they initially consider moving to Paris to find a new life. However, after a series of events including Frank's brief affair with a coworker and a realization of their stagnant lives, the plan to move is abandoned. Following a series of escalating tensions and a tragic medical emergency involving April, the couple's lives diverge. April dies in the hospital, and a devastated Frank moves to the city to work and raise their children alone. The film concludes years later with the neighbors reflecting on the tragic lives of the Wheelers.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Sam Mendes
- Writers
- Justin Haythe · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Leonardo DiCaprio · Frank; Kate Winslet · April; Michael Shannon; Kathryn Hahn; David Harbour; Kathy Bates
- Genres
- romantic drama; historical romance
- Themes
- marriage
- Tone and mood
- somber; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- domestic drama; period piece
- Source material / true-story basis
- the 1961 novel by Richard Yates
- Content notes
- abortion
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the lead actors and the film's faithfulness to the original novel.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 6.80 · scale: 10 · review count: 213; Metacritic · score: 69 · scale: 100 · review count: 38
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actress · Golden Globe Awards · 66th · win; Best Supporting Actor · Academy Awards · 81st · nomination; Best Art Direction · Academy Awards · 81st · nomination; Best Costume Design · Academy Awards · 81st · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film is the second onscreen collaboration for DiCaprio, Winslet and Bates, all of whom previously co-starred in Titanic (1997).; The film's soundtrack was composed by Thomas Newman, his fourth collaboration with Mendes.; The film was shot mostly in sequence and on location in Darien, Connecticut.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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