Revolutionary Road ( a review)

(Written on June 6, 2018)

Happened to watch the 2008 British American romantic drama Revolutionary Road directed by Sam Mendes.The realistic story of the lunatic couple April and Frank smitten by the unrealistic American Dream, which toppled their lives at a more ironic place called revolutionary road. A brilliant movie adaptation of Richard Yates's novel of same name 'Revolutionary Road' heightened by the unquestionable acting skills of Hollywood's classic couple, DiCaprio and Kate Winslet and of course by the character played by Michael Shannon.REVOLUTIONARY ROAD - the story of unaccomplished ambitions, the unsuccessful attempt to escape 'the hopeless emptiness' of life ,the stifling routine life, the crumbling relationships , losing minds and most importantly the American Dream of better and richer life. As April says, "If you don't try at anything, you can't fail...It takes backbone to lead the life you want". Yes , it always requires a backbone to lead the life you want and I must say this is a handsomely done realistic movie that would take you to the slow devastation of the life of Wheelers.

A.C

Comments

Of mothers, sarees and their grief

Mothers are often presented as the epitome of love in movies. The struggles, sacrifices and the quiet tiredness they carry are praised, even placed on a pedestal. But we rarely talk about their grief, the grief of unlived lives. Have you ever thought about the lives of these mothers before marriage and motherhood? Before all the giving began? So often, clad in their sarees, mothers cook and smile, clean and laugh. But is that all they ever wanted? Do they carry the weight of the shadows of their unlived lives? Many do, though they may never say it aloud. And they leave it behind for the happiness of the ones they love. I often feel that when they wipe sweat from their brows with the edge of their sarees, they catch the glimpse of their hidden grief. The loneliness and the neglect they receive, they tuck it away, fold it into the pleats of their sarees and smile again. Some may have once wanted to be doctors, teachers, dancers, writers, travellers. And even in their happiest moments, th...

Laapataa Ladies aka Ladies Lost in Patriarchy

Kiran Rao’s “Laapataa Ladies” is a social satire that offers entertainment as well as empowerment. The movie humorously portrays the grave realities of a patriarchal society with the help of a simple story and background. As the name and the trailer suggested, it revolves around two newly married brides who get lost on the way to their in-laws’ home. While Jaya, whom Deepak accidentally brings home instead of his wife Phool, seizes this opportunity to follow her dream, Phool undergoes profound personal growth during the time. This period shows multiple women discovering themselves. Some learn to do things that they love for themselves while others learn to explore and embrace their talents. Even though Jaya and Phool are two contradictory characters, they are both equally victims of patriarchal conditioning. While Jaya is ready to break and act against all the norms of society from the very beginning by uttering the name of her husband to everyone’s disbelief, Phool learns to do t...

Love in the age of checklists: A critical review of Materialists

Celine Song ’s Materialists (2025) is a modern-day romantic comedy produced by A24 , starring Dakota Johnson , Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal . Released in cinemas in June 2025, the film became one of the year’s highly anticipated movies after its glossy trailer premiere with Phlottila’s cover of Madonna’s Material Girl as a backdrop, with the hope of experiencing a conflicting love triangle. But underneath its glittering surface lies a deeper, sobering reflection on romance, quid pro quo relationships, and the loneliness offered by contemporary urban life. Similar to her feature debut, Past Lives , Song investigates how individual desire confronts societal norms, but this time through the workings of modern matchmaking. Dakota Johnson in Materialists . Image: IMDb The narrative revolves around Lucy (Dakota Johnson), a high-end professional matchmaker who sees marriage as a business deal betwe...

THE FORGOTTEN STORIES

Search This Blog