Revolutionary Road

Not every movie has to have a happy ending. Not to ruin anything for you, if you haven't seen Revolutionary Road. But the whole movie has a relatively negative vibe to it. But I absolutely love the themes of the movie. They yell out to me. They pull me in.

I'm constantly off in my own world, wondering what else life has to offer besides the daily grind. During the entire film, Dicaprio and Winslett, a married couple that's lost their spark, search for something. Anything new. They were dreamers when they were young, and as many, they lost their passions once the kids came along.

Winslett wants desperately to get that back. Her grand idea is up and moving the family to Paris. Dicaprio is shocked by the change this idea brings along in his wife, but just the idea alone rekindles the passion that was lost in their relationship. He eventually agrees.

They both begin to dream big. Opening their minds to new possiblities. Then there's a sudden change of plans. Winslett becomes pregnant with their third child, and all their dreams vanish. Dicaprio refuses to have the child in Paris. Winslett literally falls apart that she was so close to realizing her dream. She even had the plane tickets in hand.

The movie is not just held together, but is made into a classic in my opinion, due to Winslett and Dicaprio's acting. This movie is my version of an action movie. The level of instability in their relationship put me at the edge of my seat. I didn't know how or what would happen. Their exchanges evoke every kind of emotion. I was drained by the end of the movie, and full of sorrow. But it was the kind of sorrow that is inspiring in a strange way, to not make the same mistakes these two did.

There are so many underlying themes that made me ask many questions: What would happen if they actually made it to Paris? Would their relationship succeed? Were they ever meant for each other in the first place?

Long story short, the movie made me think. It's stuck with me, regardless if these are really "good" people or not, they are real. And they were made real by the acting. They just never had a firm grip on the concept of happiness, which is what so many of us search for.

Ken's Score: 100
Metacritic: 69

Many critics didn't like the two main characters. Not the actors, but the characters as people. That's never a consideration to me, because a lot of people aren't great people. These were real people, making decisions that real people come to. It's gritty. One of my favorite dramas.