REVOLUTIONARY ROAD

BY CHRISTOPHER HASKELL
MAY 16, 2013

Not much can be said for a film involving its main characters screaming at each other for most of the run-time, but at least with “Revolutionary Road,” some of the most talented and attractive actors are picked to do the screaming. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are reunited as man and wife in this 60’s novel adaptation about a couple that would just as much torment one another with constant fights than to live a meaningful and separate life.

The leads are robust, with Winslet looking the best she’s ever been, while DiCaprio rides the fine line between the outstanding actor he will become and the childish, tween star we knew from “Titanic” and “Catch Me If You Can.” Kathy Bates also delivers a satisfactory performance, but the Academy Award-nominated Michael Shannon steals the show in the short time that he graces the screen. A huge fan of Shannon’s, I found his character immensely fleshed out and realized for someone barely involved in the plot, and his portion becomes the most memorable moments of the film (apart from the dark conclusion and constant yelling).

There’s poetry somewhere immersed in “Revolutionary Road,” and Sam Mendes, along with Roger Deakins, do their best to emphasize that. Still, it becomes tough to invest when you dislike both characters and their motives, or lack thereof. As epic a drama as it is, the film falls short of being a classic.