Revolutionary Road

Once upon a time, Kate Winslet was a rosy-cheeked girl in love soaring like a human para sail over the prow of the Titanic. The ecstatic furling of her dress, the wind shooting through her legs, she was the pin-up girl for the irrationally exuberant '90's where thrill was the navigational instrument of choice, consequences be damned.

In Revolutionary Road she's back on board another Titanic of sorts called the post-WWII American Dream. She plays April Wheeler, a woman who trades in her dream of being an actress for the role of being a wife, mother and community member in the 'burbs. She gets into the wardrobe part of it, being perfectly turned-out and made-up for every occasion. She even gets dolled up for breakfast and bed, never the same outfit twice. But just never gets any really good lines. None of her roles hold very much interest for her and she grows increasingly estranged from herself and her ever amiable and largely bullet proof husband, Frank Wheeler, played with puckish cunning by Leonardo DiCaprio (who played her love interest in Titanic). April is the dark queen of the American Dream, a hotter version of June Allison and Harriet Nelson, a David Lynch pinned down girl. Which is to say that when her ruby red slippers are finally clicked out, there's literally no place like home.

This is a tragic tale for April and the women of the Fifties' generation. The scene where April is dutifully washing dishes while weeping her heart out in despair reminded me of my own mother carefully ironing handkerchiefs and socks while threatening to kill herself by driving her car into a tree. It seemed ridiculous to me at the time, not sad like it does now, because I knew my mother had far too much respect for things to ever intentionally damage one, especially one as expensive as a car. Besides, if she really wanted to die, all she had to do was scratch the car and my father would kill her.

Like hundreds of millions of women --and men -- my mother and April Wheeler bought the American Dream package on faith, happily trading talent and creativity for lounging by the pool casually gossiping or smoking cigarettes while reading glossy fashion magazines. But there doesn't seem to be much opportunity for April to express herself on issues of the day or especially the unwelcome suspicion that her own piece of the Dream is terminally vapid and doomed to crash into something sooner or later.

Winslet gives a brilliant, subtle performance, letting her rage and bitterness seep through her perfect carapace without ever once smudging her make up. DiCaprio's character goes through a similar process, shape shifting into his role in the business world. He catches a few breaks and ends up OK but without apparent conscience or scruples. And here we all are today.