Revolutionary Road

We watched Revolutionary Road a couple weeks back. In essence, it is a poignant tale of unfulfilled desires and shattered dreams.

Set in the 1950s, we watch Frank and April meet at a party. 2 ordinary persons sharing their dreams and aspirations. They banter flirtatiously and by the end of the party, their destinies are irrevocably entwined. After embracing marriage, they settle in suburban America, complete with picket fences and perfectly manicured lawns.

The Wheelers (Frank and April) are the epitome of the American Dream.

Under this immaculate facade, April bubbles with resentment as her thespian dreams crumbles before her. Blaming it on a small town that it unable to tap into her vast talent, she allows dispair to gnaw at her soul. Feeling forced to conform to the role of a housewife and mother, she feels trapped in the responsibilities expected of her.

Frank, on the other hand, is confronted by the banality of his 9 to 5 job. Forced into the shadows of his Father's mundane life, his day revolves around his desk and commuting to and from work. Stifled in a job he neither enjoys nor appreciates. In a sorry bid to escape reality, he soon finds himself in the throngs of an office romance.

April soon hatches a plan to reignite the possibilities that have longed remained dormant in their sorry lives. She uses Frank's dreams of living in Paris as leverage to entice him with promises of a life filled with spontaneity and excitement.

What she really wants is to leave her own disappointments.

You have to watch the movie to find out what happens next. All I can say is that, the film builds with momentum before exploding into a river of emotions as the central characters lash blow after blow.

Each viciously intent on hurting the other. As the onslaught of Frank and April's spats grew more and more malicious, it became quite disturbing to watch.

The movie realistically portrays the raw emotions within people. And as the bonds of love and marriage wither and fade with resentment and disillusion, we often can remain blind to the destruction our words or actions can cause.

Perhaps by the time we realize how much has come to past, more often then not, all that remains is only an avalanche of mistakes that can never be rectified.

I can only hope this never happens to anyone.