'Revolutionary Road', like Sam Mendes' other celebrated film 'American Beauty', is set in suburban America in the home of a well-to-do family. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio play April and Frank Wheeler, a young couple with two children, who have lost the magic and excitement of the early years of their relationship and now struggle to regain it. April's plan is to move to Paris with the kids before they get too old, but after Frank gets a promotion at work he goes off the idea and they stay where they are. April trained as an actress but never got anywhere and is now confined to the neighbourhood playing the 50s homemaker. After discovering she is pregnant for a third time April's mental state takes a turn for the worse and the film ends with a tragic event, that you can't help feeling could have been prevented.
I wanted to see this film because of the award nominations it's received, but I can't say I'm a big fan. I love American Beauty and Jarhead, but just couldn't find anything of the subversive humour and zingy dialogue of those two films in Mendes's newest production. Revolutionary Road is pretty much about the everyday and the mundane, and how April and Frank fail to break out of the 50s mould of having 2.4 kids and a big house, and this being the pinnacle of achievement. However, I just found myself getting exasperated with them. There are numerous points in the movie where they have the chance to change their course, and they just peter off into nothing. I appreciate this is the point of the film, but I found it very hard to be sympathetic or empathetic with the Wheelers and by the end of the film I was astounded as April's vivacious personality completely fails her and instead of taking the obvious way out of her situation she sets in motion the events that lead to her death. Technically the film is very well put together, and once again I greatly enjoyed Thomas Newman's score. DiCaprio and Winslet give excellent and realistic performances, as do the supporting cast, but sadly this wasn't enough to save the film for me. The story just wasn't exciting or interesting, and wasn't even saying anything new - these issues have been covered just as well in films like 'Far from Heaven' or 'The Hours'.
The other film I watched this weekend,
was much more enjoyable. Lovefilm sent me 'Delicatessen', and I
am pleased to report that it was an absolute delight. I've seen Amelie and A Very Long Engagement, and adored both, and had high expectations of Jean Pierre Jenuet's earlier film (released ten years before Amelie). Delicatessen is set in an apartment building presided over by the butcher who sells his wares from the titular deli on the ground floor. But all is not as it seems, the meat which the various occupants purchase from Clapet, the butcher, is not animal but human. The film begins with Clapet hiring a new 'handyman' in the form of the ever-excellent Dominique Pignon, playing Louison. What Louison doesn't realise is that he's intended to be the next victim of the cannibalistic butcher, unless Clapet's pretty daughter Julie can save him.
Obviously this film is a lot darker than the other Jeunet films I've seen, but that didn't taint my enjoyment of it at all. As with Amelie and Engagement, the film handles pretty dark subject matter with a very lighthearted touch and hilarious French humour. I especially enjoyed the attempted suicides of Aurore after hearing voices in her kitchen, and also the sex scene between Clapet and his wife, in which the rhythmic bed springs are heard throughout the house and merge with Julie's metronome and cello playing, and the old-woman's knitting upstairs. It's whimsical scenes such as these that add to the expertly judged tone of the film. The film also looks very distinctive, stylised and almost cartoon-like, it reminded me a little of the artwork of Chris Riddell which is just as darkly comic. I can't wait to buy this film so that I can see it again and would recommend any Amelie fans to give it a try. It may have less broad appeal than that idealistic romance, but its 90 minutes are full of quirky joy from start to finish.
I'm so glad you liked Delicatessen; the palette is kind of the reverse of Amelie and like you say, even though it's darker the two films complement each other. Try The City of Lost Children next!
I agree about RR, it's not as involving as some films and all the while through I kept thinking, 'But Julianne Moore does this so much better in FFH'! It's a shame it isn't more gripping given all the hype. Still, an interesting message though.
Posted by: Lindsey | February 06, 2009 at 06:59 AM