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Revolutionary Road Poster

Revolutionary Road

R
Genre: Drama, Romance
In Theaters:
3.5

The film opens with Frank and April meeting at a party. Frank tells April about his job, and April says that she wants to be an actress. Years later, having married, Frank and April leave from a theatre after a play had finished. April, who was an actress in the play, apparently did not do well. She is very upset, and when Frank tries to comfort her, April refuses to discuss it and a bitter argument ensues.

In 1955, Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) move to Revolutionary Road in one of New York City's wealthy Connecticut suburbs. April is dissatisfied with her life as a suburban housewife, and Frank despises his marketing job at Knox Business Machines, where his late father worked for 20 years in a similar position. The Wheelers feel they are unique and special, but trapped in the conformity of life in the suburbs, where they moved while April was pregnant with their first of two children. Their bitter arguments continue.

On Frank's thirtieth birthday he seduces a young secretary from his office. When he returns home late, April surprises him with a birthday cake and a proposal that they move to Paris, with April working as a secretary to support the family so that Frank can discover what he truly wants to do with his life. Frank is reluctant at first but ultimately embraces the idea, and the renewed optimism breathes fresh life into their relationship. Colleagues and friends react politely to the couple's decision, but privately consider it to be immature and impractical.

Meanwhile, Frank's talent at his job earns him some recognition, and April becomes pregnant again. April wants an abortion and has bought a device she has heard is safe if used in the first 12 weeks; Frank disapproves, however. Later, Frank is offered a promotion and raise at work. Eventually he tells April that for the sake of the unborn baby he has decided not to go to Paris. Later April has sex with their neighbor and friend, Shep Campbell (David Harbour).

The Wheelers are friends with local realtor Helen Givings (Kathy Bates) and her husband Howard, who occasionally visit with their adult son John (Michael Shannon), a former mathematician who is now under psychiatric care in a mental institution. John has no inhibition about asking the Wheelers direct personal questions and offering his blunt assessment of their dissatisfaction with marriage, work, and life; his parents are horrified, but the Wheelers admire him for his candor. However, when John learns the Wheelers have canceled their move to Paris, he becomes agitated and begins to insult them, saying he feels sorry for them and their unborn baby. This leads to an argument, in which April tells Frank she does not love him anymore, and in fact hates him. Frank tells April he wishes she had chosen an abortion.

April runs into the woods and asks to be left alone. She returns and, the next morning, calmly acts the part of a supportive housewife. When Frank leaves for the day she attempts to perform an abortion with her device, even though more than 12 weeks have passed. The procedure goes wrong, however, and she dies later that day in the hospital. Frank moves to the city with the children, now devoted to them, we are told. Shep and his wife entertain the new occupants of the Wheeler home and discuss the fate of the former occupants, but Shep cannot bear it and privately asks his wife to not mention them again. The film ends with Helen Givings and her husband Howard (Richard Easton) discussing the new neighbors. Helen then starts to ramble on of her disapproval of the Wheelers as Howard turns down his hearing aid as to drown out his wife's voice.

Director:

Sam Mendes
Screenplay: Justin Haythe , Richard Yates
Studio: Dreamworks
DVD Release: 2009-01-23 00:00:00.0
Tagline: How do you break free without breaking apart?
Synopsis

The film opens with Frank and April meeting at a party. Frank tells April about his job, and April says that she wants to be an actress. Years later, having married, Frank and April leave from a theatre after a play had finished. April, who was an actress in the play, apparently did not do well. She is very upset, and when Frank tries to comfort her, April refuses to discuss it and a bitter argument ensues.

In 1955, Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) move to Revolutionary Road in one of New York City's wealthy Connecticut suburbs. April is dissatisfied with her life as a suburban housewife, and Frank despises his marketing job at Knox Business Machines, where his late father worked for 20 years in a similar position. The Wheelers feel they are unique and special, but trapped in the conformity of life in the suburbs, where they moved while April was pregnant with their first of two children. Their bitter arguments continue.

On Frank's thirtieth birthday he seduces a young secretary from his office. When he returns home late, April surprises him with a birthday cake and a proposal that they move to Paris, with April working as a secretary to support the family so that Frank can discover what he truly wants to do with his life. Frank is reluctant at first but ultimately embraces the idea, and the renewed optimism breathes fresh life into their relationship. Colleagues and friends react politely to the couple's decision, but privately consider it to be immature and impractical.

Meanwhile, Frank's talent at his job earns him some recognition, and April becomes pregnant again. April wants an abortion and has bought a device she has heard is safe if used in the first 12 weeks; Frank disapproves, however. Later, Frank is offered a promotion and raise at work. Eventually he tells April that for the sake of the unborn baby he has decided not to go to Paris. Later April has sex with their neighbor and friend, Shep Campbell (David Harbour).

The Wheelers are friends with local realtor Helen Givings (Kathy Bates) and her husband Howard, who occasionally visit with their adult son John (Michael Shannon), a former mathematician who is now under psychiatric care in a mental institution. John has no inhibition about asking the Wheelers direct personal questions and offering his blunt assessment of their dissatisfaction with marriage, work, and life; his parents are horrified, but the Wheelers admire him for his candor. However, when John learns the Wheelers have canceled their move to Paris, he becomes agitated and begins to insult them, saying he feels sorry for them and their unborn baby. This leads to an argument, in which April tells Frank she does not love him anymore, and in fact hates him. Frank tells April he wishes she had chosen an abortion.

April runs into the woods and asks to be left alone. She returns and, the next morning, calmly acts the part of a supportive housewife. When Frank leaves for the day she attempts to perform an abortion with her device, even though more than 12 weeks have passed. The procedure goes wrong, however, and she dies later that day in the hospital. Frank moves to the city with the children, now devoted to them, we are told. Shep and his wife entertain the new occupants of the Wheeler home and discuss the fate of the former occupants, but Shep cannot bear it and privately asks his wife to not mention them again. The film ends with Helen Givings and her husband Howard (Richard Easton) discussing the new neighbors. Helen then starts to ramble on of her disapproval of the Wheelers as Howard turns down his hearing aid as to drown out his wife's voice.

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