Sunday, April 18, 2010

Revolutionary Road



A British-American drama directed by Sam Mendes in 2008, Revolutionary Road starrs Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The screenplay is based on the 1961 novel of the same name by Richard Yates.

Revolutionary Road takes us through the lives of a couple, the Wheelers, living in suburban Connecticut in the 1950’s. Frank and April meet at a party and get married. They create a life of their own with a house and two children, Frank with a stable job and April playing the housewife. They have a home that is perfect, well looked after, a manicured lawn and “modern” furniture. Cigarettes and martinis are a dominant part of their routine lives. As the days and months pass by, there sets a certain uneasiness in April about their regular existence.

April wanted to be an actor, but gave it up because she wasn’t good enough for it. Frank tried to be supportive but asked her to get over the dream simply because it would be better for both of them. The argument the two have over it gets nasty, and we see the buildup of the stress between them in having to prove themselves. The scene ends with a haunting silence as the couple sits in the car, heaving, exhausted, disconnected. It sets the theme of the film beautifully.

The Wheelers were a young couple who seemed like the unconventional sort, young and fresh and different. The lady who sold them the house, Mrs. Helen Givings, visits April one day and tells her that the first time she saw them, they seemed “special”. We see a certain sadness on April’s face when she hears these words, like as though, knowing they were special, they still led regular lives, like regular people. Her expression conveyed a yearning to be what people believed them to be. Taking a house on Revolutionary Road seemed ironic with them leading a life that is no different from the people around them.

April remembers how during the early days of their romance, Frank had told her how he always wanted to go back to Paris, because “people are really alive there, not like here”. He tells her how all he knew is he wants to really “feel” things. April’s memory of that conversation motivates her to start thinking of a change in their lives, of going to Paris! Frank can quit his meaningless job, while she can work to support him. This would give him time to think about what he really wants.

Convinced by this idea, they go about telling their friends, who feel that the plan might be immature. Frank is offered a promotion, and April gets pregnant. She goes to the extent of wanting to abort the baby, lest it affect their decision of moving out. Frank reconsiders the whole plan as he gets an offer of good money at his job. In the end, the whole unrealistic aspect of the plan comes to surface and Frank convinces April out of it. She gives up too, and continues her daily dreaded life, looking after the house while Frank joins the morning march of men in suits and hats.

This movie got me thinking of several things. How many of us exist like the Wheelers? Resigning ourselves to the daily grind because one needs to “settle down”? When April tries to convince Frank about the idea, she tells him, “We’ve bought into the same ridiculous delusion - this idea that you have to resign from life, and settle down, the moment you have children. And we’ve been punishing each other for it.” We see in her a desperate urge to get out of the rut and lead “interesting lives” believing that she would be happier. She knows that Frank is more content, married to her, with two kids and a home. The real struggle is within April. The plan is largely motivated by April’s own needs. We see the loneliness of the woman who spends all day at home tending it, knowing she wants something different, something that she longs for outside the small world of the home and husband. The desperation with which April goes about in wanting the plan to happen suggests her frantic urge to salvage her one chance. Her one chance to be free from the delusional world they are living in.

John, Mrs. Givings’ son, is believed to be “unwell” and was at the mental institute.
We see that his real problem was in telling the truth. He is the only person who understands what the Wheelers want, to get away from the emptiness and hopelessness of their lives.
He observes, “Plenty of people are on to the emptiness, but it takes real guts to see the hopelessness.” He sees the frustration that a couple like April and Frank are going through and understands why they want to run away from their current existence.

A character like John is interesting to understand what people think of insanity. His ability to see the truth, tear away the façade in which the couple was living in, and strip away their denials is astounding. So what is truth? And what is insanity? Like Frank said, “Insanity is the inability to relate to another human being. It’s the inability to love”. But then isn’t what John sees the actual truth? In the real sense, it is John who sees life stripped from its plastic existence. He sees reality in all its bareness. The truth is hence, the reverse. It is the people who live in a façade that are insane. Love becomes a compulsion to allow for the smooth order of things. Love becomes an “ability” that is developed. Life becomes predictable; everyone becomes carbon copies of each other. The façade becomes the accepted norm and people are conditioned to believe in its rightfulness, in the process denying themselves their true spirit. So who is really insane?

The Wheelers are defeated in their attempt to be different. April is crushed under her fate. The last scene where April stands looking out of the window with the bloodstain on her skirt is powerfully symbolic. It’s like a permanent stain on their lives, on their neat carpet and clean house. A mark of irreversible devastation.

The film takes the American Dream to tragic levels, as the dream turns into a nightmare. The choice that one needs to make between wanting to just survive or “live” is stark in its honesty. Although many of us continue existing, how many of us really have the drive to see that spark in us and chase our imagination? The plan that April had might seem a tad bit unrealistic, but the fact that she wanted a way out shows how a person with potential can still be stifled under the norms of “living”.

In Frank also we see a need to be free and want to explore real things and “feel” things, but at the cost of what and whom? What about the children who need to be taken care of? How do we live the life that we always want to, yet manage to fulfill the roles we are meant to? More importantly, how do we really know what we want? These are questions that the film raises.

Powerful dialogues, with equally powerful acting and music, this film takes the concept of “living” to a completely different level. The phenomenal performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet engrosses us to live their experience.

We know no bounds to our fantasies, but how much of it can definitely be real? Watch it for its ability to move you to a point where you evaluate your own existence.

13 comments:

  1. "Her expression conveyed a yearning to be what people believed them to be. Taking a house on Revolutionary Road seemed ironic with them leading a life that is no different from the people around them." This is quite intelligent reflection in words of a good commentator

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  2. Very good analysis of the film. An interesting thing about Revolutionary Road is that this is one of those rare films shot in chronological sequence. I would have loved to read a para on your opinion of the chemistry between DiCaprio and Winslet in their first film together since "Titanic".

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  3. @ Hamza: Thanks! The irony is quite stark, with a potentially "revolutionary couple" staying in a house that sits on "Revolutionary Road", yet their existence seems anything but revolutionary. Not quite revolutionary eh?:)

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  4. @ Pradeep: Thanks Pradeep! Shooting in chronological sequence is definitely a rarity! Glad you mentioned it.
    About the chemistry between Leonardo and Winslet, we can clearly see a maturity developed between the two, from the young love-struck lovers in Titanic to a more settled, but still very much in love couple in Revolutionary Road. Or so we think? It's interesting to see how in their first film together, they had a spontaneous love affair, defying all rules especially for Kate. In Revolutionary Road, the same couple is faced with the next step in their lives, where they beleive themselves to be the spontaneous kind who would embrace life with a difference, yet lose the battle to that fantasy. A more morose relationship, with greater depth, and more complications, with layers of character traits. The two have journeyed with their lives and their chemistry together as actors, proving to be better, with age.

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  5. you sold me the movie ms. hamzaki...gr8 stuff

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  6. This was a film that kept me thinking for days after I had viewed it. It's so perfect you can't think of any other way you'd want any part of it changed. Sam Mendes is indeed a genius filmmaker.

    You have put in perfect words all the thoughts and emotions that swelled in me while watching this film; and you have even taken a profound step ahead in your introspective commentary. Great stuff!

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  7. @ Nabil: Indeed. He is a genuis filmmaker. Such flawless delivery of a strong theme.

    Glad to know I was able to tap into words the similar thoughts and emotions.:) Thanks.

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  8. Well...I am sure many around us(leading an almost similar life) would relate to the script. I believe its about loving yourself first and having the confidence of achieving what you dreamt all your life!

    I also would like to sympathize with the poor movie producers who keep complaining about the reviews before the release of a movie. The smart ones have critics and movie reviews as a part of their marketing plan and they achieve the desired in the first weekend of the release. Why am I saying this?...well Zulfiya…you just sold me the movie..feel like watching it right now!!

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  9. Thanks a lot Ujjwal! I'm glad that my analysis helped you want to watch it. It definitely is a must watch! Makes you realize things that you'd rather keep hidden from the world, and live in denial of your true self.

    Like you rightly said, it's all about loving yourself and having faith in your dreams to make it into a reality. But at whose cost? Do we need to sacrifice our dreams to make our loved ones happy? Or do we become selfish and pursue only our individual interests? April personifies this struggle.

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  10. One needs to keep selling himself to the stakeholders( starting from your nursery teacher - parents - siblings - friends, girlfriend, WIFE or your boss) if you have sold yourself well...the job is done. This selling is a unique phenomenon and is often quantified by the results you demonstrate at various stages of your life. The problem is when you haven't sold yourself well and expect people to buy you...so keep performing and demonstrating...thats how one can achieve the desired.

    As social animals we do need to take care of our loved ones and are responsible for them as they were to us when we needed them...but we really do not need to sacrifice our dreams to make them happy.The way out is to sell your idea to them, let them be prepared for the worse and surprise them with the best outcome. Even if you fail, they at least understand that you tried your best...however, they won't understand this for many times :-)

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  11. Wow. You made life sound like a business. I'm afraid not many people would be so clear about their individual personalities to "sell" themselves definitely. That may also explain why many people give in to familial pressures, convincing themselves that it's the best for them, in faith of their loved ones. Many times, it works. Because it is believed to.

    However, when it comes to the individual voice, one must know how to strike the balance and pursue one's dream, yet do it sensitively and sensibly to gain the trust of those who may oppose it. Hopefully if it's not too radical, they will understand. Soon.

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  12. as it is for some weird reason im always paranoid by the concept and issues of 'relationships', watching this film just worsened it! :P
    true it had great and very realistic acting but for some reason(quote the 1st 4 lines) i did not like this movie very much.

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  13. @AKM: Sure not everyone needs to like a film because one can have his/her own personal reasons and you are justified by not favoring this film.

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