Revolutionary Road (2008); drama film review

Poster artwork for the drama film Revolutionary Road.

Marital Misgivings by Linh

Adapted from the acclaimed novel of the same name by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is set in the Summer of 1955 in America, with conformity and the symbolic happy American family existence used as a backdrop for the film. A young and happily married couple with two children, Frank and April Wheeler move to Revolutionary Road where their marriage is torn apart by their different intentions of what they wanted their lives to be – one who wants a new life away from the mundane and conformity for a life less ordinary while the other tries to maintain stability and order in their life.

TRAPPED: Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) want to break away from suburbia and live in Paris in the film Revolutionary Road. Image: Paramount Vantage, DreamWorks. 

Director Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Jarhead) was encouraged by wife Kate Winslet to read the script based on Richard Yates’s novel and he loved it so much, he and Winslet worked to get the film produced. Mendes’s background as a theatre director gives the film an intimate feel as if the audience is part of the action and in the same room as the characters. Mendes directed the film in sequence and this helped to build up the tensions and allowed the slow release of emotions of the characters.

Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Frank Wheeler, the conformist and hardworking computer systems salesman who wants to be a good husband to April and dedicated father to his children. Yet, he is apprehensive of taking risks to pursue a dream which may not work out. Initially, living in Paris was his idea, but just like his father, Frank conformed to his environment and his work, so the once romantic Parisian goal became a fantasy. DiCaprio gives a powerhouse performance fraught with a myriad of emotions that manifest themselves in outbursts of either intense lovemaking or violent conduct (attempting to bash his wife and trashing his house).

Kate Winslet received a Golden Globe for her role and it was well deserved. Winslet plays the homemaker and dreamer April Wheeler whose marriage to Frank almost seems to be a fairytale until they leave the city and move to Revolutionary Road. While her acting career never took off, April’s imagination and idealistic nature persisted in her duties as mother and wife, until one day she remembered Frank saying how much he would love to go and live in Paris at any cost.

Winslet is mesmerising as the young wife who yearns for something different in life and to escape the confines of the home, while wanting to stay married to Frank. Winslet’s displays of vulnerability, misery and conviction are so well executed, her character’s emotional roller coaster becomes an interesting yet tragic ride.

SHARING WITHOUT CARING: Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) feels he can make April (Kate Winslet) happy without them moving to Paris in the film Revolutionary Road. Image: Paramount Vantage, DreamWorks.

The supporting cast are wonderful and their characters find themselves thrust aside as the marital fights between Frank and April play out in the privacy of their home.

Kathy Bates (who appeared alongside DiCaprio and Winslet in the film Titanic) is delightful as the real estate agent, Helen Givings, who sells the house on Revolutionary Road to the Wheelers and becomes their friend; Michael Shannon is brilliant as Helen’s mentally unstable son, John Giving, who steals every scene in which appears where his erratic ramblings hold some truths regarding the Wheeler’s marriage; and Kathryn Hahn is in fine form as April’s friend Milly Campbell, the seemingly perfect wife who’s happily married and a conformist to the 1950s American dream life.

Revolutionary Road is a superb insight into character studies and life during 1950s America, the effects it has on the marriage and how difficult it is to share and live a dream that’s not really your own.The film manages to recapture the era, and the sense of “hopelessness and emptiness” experienced by the characters without them understanding it, is a revelation in story-telling.

PERFECT PARTNERS: Shep Campbell (David Harbour) and his wife Milly (Kathryn Hahn) are living the American dream in the 1950s in the film Revolutionary Road. Image: Paramount Vantage, DreamWorks.

Director: Sam Mendes

Writers: Justin Haythe (screenplay), Richard Yates (novel)

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon, David Harbour, Kathryn Hahn, Zoe Kazan, Ryan Simpkins, Ty Keegan Simpkins, Jay O. Sanders

Producers: Scott Rudin, John N. Hart Jr., Bobby Cohen, Sam Mendes, David M. Thompson, Marion Rosenberg, Henry Fernaine, Nina Wolarsky, Ann Ruark, Gina Amoroso, Peter Kalmbach, Pippa Harris

Cinematographer: Roger Deakins (Director of Photography)

Original Music Composer: Thomas Newman

Film Editor: Tariq Anwar

Production: Kristi Zea (Production Designer), Teresa Carriker-Thayer, John Kasarda, Nicholas Lundy (Art Directors), Debra Schutt (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Albert Wolsky

Running Time: 1 hour and 55 minutes

The Golden Compass (2007) ; fantasy adventure film review

Poster artwork for the fantasy action adventure film The Golden Compass.

In the world of The Golden Compass, the souls of humans live outside their bodies as daemons, and in animal form. The human and daemon pairs are always the opposite sex, bonded by a powerful energy and can communicate telepathically. The powerful and sinister Magisterium rule the order of everyday life and would destroy anything that undermines their authority, hence the Alethiometer or Golden Compass is a dangerous threat to their existence.
The only person who can read the Alethiometer is Lyra Belacqua, who embarks on an heroic journey to save her best friend and solve the mystery of the disappearing children.

The Over-controversialised Compass by Linh

It is said that a book mustn't be judged by its cover, so it seems that a movie shouldn't be judged by the book it's based upon. The Golden Compass is the first book of the trilogy in Philip Pullman's children fantasy His Dark Materials and is better seen as a stand alone film despite being an adaptation of the novel.

Director Chris Weitz and the film's producers have agreed to the film's numerous re-writes and re-casting in order to broaden its appeal and water down the so-called anti-religious or pro-atheist elements prominent in the book.
The result is a magnificently imaginative visualisation of the novel, where tales of love, self-sacrifice, triumph of good over evil, and the empowerment of children are brought to the big screen. Unfortunately, some scenes have been swapped and the ending of the film differs to that of the book, yet the plot remains largely intact.
Newcomer Dakota Blue Richards was chosen from ten thousand young hopefuls who auditioned for the role of Lyra Belacqua in 2006.
In her first acting role, Dakota Blue Richards brings a charming quirkiness to the plucky Lyra, whose presence and curious nature immediately sets her apart from the other child characters.

As the sleek and beautiful Mrs Marisa Coulter, Nicole Kidman is miscast as she purrs her way through some scenes and struggles to turn nasty in others. Despite her fizzled attempts to portray a deeply wicked and heartless monster, Nicole Kidman looks stunning on screen and remains focussed on her character's intentions.

Daniel Craig plays the determined Lord Asriel, Lyra's 'Uncle' and guardian, who believes in the magical 'Dust' which is forbidden and rejected by the Magisterium. Daniel Craig provides some of the great acting moments to lift a few dreary aspects of the film.

Sam Elliott plays Lee Scoresby, the gun-toting, quick witted Texan aeronaut who willingly assists Lyra on her adventure. Sam Elliott looks like he stepped out of a western and into the fantasy world, yet his character is a refreshing contrast to many of the other more darker roles in the film.

The standout performer is not human but a computer generated Polar Ice Bear named Iorek Byrnison and is voiced by Ian McKellen. In a thrilling one on one battle scene, Iorek defeats the King of the Ice Bears, Ragnar Sturlusson (voiced by Ian McShane and named Iorfur Raknison in the book) to rightfully claim the crown.

Other admirable performances include Eva Green's provocative turn as Serafina Pekkala, the Queen of the witches; Tom Courtenay as the wise and caring Farder Coram; Christopher Lee is imposing as the Magisterium's First High Councilor alongside the equally impressive Derek Jacobi playing the Magisterial Emissary; also keep an eye out for Magda Szubanski as the very observant and quiet Mrs Lonsdale.

Some scenes are intensely frightening for younger audiences such as warfare between human and animals and the fight between the Polar Ice Bears. Yet, The Golden Compass is enjoyable and harmless fun concerning a fantasy world of wonderment, free thinking and danger.

BEARABLE: Dakota Blue Richards and Iorek Byrnison (voiced by Ian McKellen) in a scene from The Golden Compass.
Image: New Line Cinema.

Director: Chris Weitz

Writers: Chris Weitz (screenplay), Philip Pullman (book Northern Lights)

Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Sam Elliott, Ben Walker, Jim Carter,  Clare Higgins, Christopher Lee, Derek Jacobi, Tom Courtenay, Magda Szubanski, Jack Shepherd, Kristin Scott Thomas (voice), Ian McKellen (voice), Ian McShane (voice), Kathy Bates (voice), Freddie Highmore (voice)

Producers: Deborah Forte, Bill Carraro, Toby Emmerich, Andrew Miano, Ileen Maisel, Paul Weitz, Robert Shave, Mark Ordesky, Nikolas Korda

Cinematographer: Henry Brabham

Original Music Composer: Alexandre Desplat 

Film Editors: Anne V. Coates, Peter Honess, Kevin Tent

Production: Dennis Gassner (Production Designer), Richard L. Johnson, Chris Lowe, Andy Nicholson (Art Directors), Anna Pinnock (Set Decorator)

Costume Designer: Ruth Meyers

Running Time: 1 hour and 50 minutes