Revolutionary Road (2008)

Seen on 20-7-2009 - A Netflix dvd - ****

Cast: Leonardo DeCaprio (Frank Wheeler), Kate Winslet (April), Michael Shannon (John Givings)
Dir.: Sam Mendes
Writer: Richard Yates
The just married couple, Frank Wheeler and April, settle down to a comfortable life with a cushy job for him, a beautiful house for her, and two kids. But they are soon bored and unhappy. They discover that they need to chuck job, sell house and escape to Paris for a time. Their problem is that he is wearied by his mechanical meaningless routine of work, home, kids, silly gossiping friends, etc. and she by her suburban housewife's drudgery of keeping home and raising children. When they announce their decision to move to Paris to friends they frankly are surprised that they should opt for a life of instability by quitting on something as comfortable as his situation.
Even as they are preparing to make this big move, Frank is offered a big jump in job, a promotion as well as a substantial raise--an offer he finds extremely difficult to refuse. For a time he is in two minds, badly divided between the two options. Meanwhile he finds his wife 6-weeks pregnant and that she intends to abort--a situation clearly unacceptable to him. These developments lead to arguments, mutual recriminations and accusations. At this juncture the visit of John Givings, a mentally unstable person, precipitate matters. John Givings has a disease which makes it difficult for him to keep down truth and he is very astute in his observations. He knocks down their facade of love and brutally peels away the layers pretensions and delusions. As Ebert puts, John "strips away [for them] their denials [and make them]." Now, the ferocious fights of Wheelers lay bare their latent intentions, frustrations (which earlier had lead them to occasional extramarital flings--"an expression of deep despair") and desperation. Sam Mendes is brilliant in handling these scenes. April finally commits suicide after making one last gesture of giving what her husband prefers: a nice breakfast, a smiling wife sending him off to his work, and giving him a sense of stable home, etc.--banal things she wants to escape from, a routine she thinks she hates and is forced to accept.Also, she is a failed stage actress and is deeply frustrated. She prefers death.
The film is said to be not half as effective as the novel. I don't know, since I haven't read the novel.