Revolutionary Road

gracendantho26

I finally just watched this movie on HBO last night and I thought it was so freakin' weird. I could not wrap my brain around why they just couldn't move to the city or maybe she could get herself a fancy new hobby. The only choice was Paris? Help me understand if you are bored and have seen it.

EliseB0323

I hated that movie. I didn't understand it either, so I can't help you.

Chrisy-Wyobride

I absolutely hated that movie.

gracendantho26

It would make more sense if the focus of the book and the premise of the movie made it sound more like a real mental instability on her part but rather it was played off like she was just super bored in suburbia.

EliseB0323

I can't remember the name of the wife character, but she was a whiney spoiled brat. I had no sympathy for her situation at all. Nobody is forcing you to live in the hell that is suburban American.

j-w

I read the book, but haven't seen the movie.  Reading it, it reminded me a lot of the way 'American Psycho' was written...like a satire on suburban life, where 'American Psycho' was a satire on a more metropolitan lifestyle.  

TheQuietThings

One of the most depressing movies ever.

DevonPow

The book is fabulous - one of my all time favorites. It is basically about the conformity of the 50s, and how the Wheelers feel that they are so apart and "different", yet they aren't. They had these grand aspirations for life that didn't come to fruition - instead came jobs, Suburbia, kids. April thought the idea of going to Paris was a way out. Frank is too scared and starts to rwlaize he enjoys the conformity.

Definitely read the book - SO good.

winery

Hated it. But Gran Torino was sold out.

 

MH said that if he wanted to hear a couple bicker for 2 hours, he could have stayed home.

true_norskie

I didn't read the book but saw the movie and liked it.  I saw them as the picture perfect couple--beautiful house in the burbs, stable income, the two kids and a great marriage.  They appeared that way to everyone and for some time, they were probably fooling themselves...then it all started to unravel because neither one of them was TRULY happy and coming to that realization through separate journies.

She started to see that and in desperation tried to revive their image and bring back what she saw was missing--a more carefree lifestyle, or a throwback to the past where they truly were happy.  He mentioned early on in their marriage that he liked Paris so that's where she focused.

She was running from the life that was bringing them down, but at the end of the day, they really couldn't escape their demons and problems--and they didn't want to put forth the effort to tackle them.  If they had, perhaps they could have worked through them--he certainly did a 180 at the end.  Or perhaps she was just too wacky.

Maybe I'm way off base with my assessment of the movie, but I think a LOT of people live like they do.  It is a "keeping up with the Joneses" lifestyle.  On the surface, people think they have "THE life"--nice house, good job, kids, etc--and because of that, they should be happy.  But they aren't.  They are living a picture-perfect facade, and one that crumbles quickly when they stop to think about what they truly want out of life. 

gracendantho26

true_norskie:

I didn't read the book but saw the movie and liked it.  I saw them as the picture perfect couple--beautiful house in the burbs, stable income, the two kids and a great marriage.  They appeared that way to everyone and for some time, they were probably fooling themselves...then it all started to unravel because neither one of them was TRULY happy and coming to that realization through separate journies.

She started to see that and in desperation tried to revive their image and bring back what she saw was missing--a more carefree lifestyle, or a throwback to the past where they truly were happy.  He mentioned early on in their marriage that he liked Paris so that's where she focused.

She was running from the life that was bringing them down, but at the end of the day, they really couldn't escape their demons and problems--and they didn't want to put forth the effort to tackle them.  If they had, perhaps they could have worked through them--he certainly did a 180 at the end.  Or perhaps she was just too wacky.

Maybe I'm way off base with my assessment of the movie, but I think a LOT of people live like they do.  It is a "keeping up with the Joneses" lifestyle.  On the surface, people think they have "THE life"--nice house, good job, kids, etc--and because of that, they should be happy.  But they aren't.  They are living a picture-perfect facade, and one that crumbles quickly when they stop to think about what they truly want out of life. 

This is was baffles me. Why give up versus take some steps to make life look like you want it to. April was only 30 years old, Frank supported he acting endeavor, she was not held down by a sexist (for the 50's) man. She fixated on Paris and anything other than that was just not worth it? That makes no sense. I think the only way to explain it is that she was mentally unstable and not just a victim of suburbia. And I think the whole disdain for suburbia thing has become such a cliche...an excuse to act like a selfish turd.

DevonPow

I don't think she gave up - she wasn't necessarily trying to kill herself. She gave up on Frank. She saw an abortion as the only way to fulfill her dream, and she knew she had to wait until Frank thought it was safe, which of course was so late that it killed her. She was so bitterly disappointed in Frank - the man she had married was not the man he was now. She had created this picture of him that totally didn't mesh with reality, and when she realized that she was devastated.  

The book fleshes out their characters a lot more - they both don't interact with/really like their kids, for example. In the book Frank ships them off to a relative and lives by himself in the city after April dies. The movie actially made both of them more likeable, if you can believe that.

gracendantho26

DevonPow:

I don't think she gave up - she wasn't necessarily trying to kill herself. She gave up on Frank. She saw an abortion as the only way to fulfill her dream, and she knew she had to wait until Frank thought it was safe, which of course was so late that it killed her. She was so bitterly disappointed in Frank - the man she had married was not the man he was now. She had created this picture of him that totally didn't mesh with reality, and when she realized that she was devastated.  

The book fleshes out their characters a lot more - they both don't interact with/really like their kids, for example. In the book Frank ships them off to a relative and lives by himself in the city after April dies. The movie actially made both of them more likeable, if you can believe that.

I think I should read the book because I was left with so many questions about the characters themselves. Thanks for the insight!

true_norskie

DevonPow:

The book fleshes out their characters a lot more - they both don't interact with/really like their kids, for example. In the book Frank ships them off to a relative and lives by himself in the city after April dies. The movie actially made both of them more likeable, if you can believe that.

I'm always disappointed in a movie after reading the book, but I absolutely DETEST it when they completely change something.  I can take them leaving bits and pieces out and even tweaking something.  But to change THAT MUCH is inexcusable.

FWIW, I thought Leonardo and Kate did a great job of playing the roles of tortured souls. 

Also, I never got the sense that they were into their kids, but didn't know whether it was purposely or because they were really "secondary" to the main story.