Revolutionary Road

Even thought I've been attending "film" school for more than five years, you'd think I'd get a kick out of seeing the award winning films. It wasn't until this year when I took my contemporary cinema class that I've decided to watch not only the good but the bad. With each screening of a new film, I've decided to actively post reviews or general thoughts on a film expressing my love or hate for it, seeing everything from direct to DVD films to the award winners. Wish me luck!

The newest film I saw this week was Revolutionary Road starring America's favorite couple since Titanic, Kate Winslet (winner of two 2008 golden globes) and Leo Di Caprio starring as a gloom and doomed couple in the 1950's.

I remember walking to work in the horrible Minnesota winter and passing one of my favorite local independent theaters, the Lagoon, and noticing the theatrical poster for the film. I thought it looked okay so I YouTubed the trailer after work. It was there in that moment that I became intrigued the same way I always do with "relationship" films that take place in the 50's. I had to see this film. I didn' t know that it was adapted from a novel until I talked about it with some film geeks at a house warming party one night and became more enthralled.

Once I finally saw this film I was drawn into its world and in the words of a fellow co-worker found it to be "soul sucking." The entire film was a gorgeous inside look into a not so happy marriage much like a favorite film of mine Far From Heaven starring Randy Quaid and Julian Moore. It follows these average characters who try to break out of their monotonous routine and shoot for the stars, only to have others around them break the bubble. Every disaster and dramatic moment happens naturally and instead of heavily relying on exposition, the film carried each scene from one frame to another with a beautiful script.

Maybe I'm biased, because of where I am in life, hoping to make my transition to Hollywood, but this film really hit the spot and preyed on one of my worst fears. The fear is of feeling trapped in a relationship and growing old with a person that gets under your skin and tears a piece of your heart with it. I know the lucky thing we have today is divorce, but I feel strongly that it's bad enough to break up at a young age, but to divorce someone can be emotionally damaging as you've been likely to give up certain parts of yourself for someone, only to possibly get nothing in return.

Bottom line see the film, decide for yourself, and for the sake of all movie lovers, please stop looking at your watch or cell phone through out the film to check the time...it only distracts those who are actually enjoying themselves.