We watched Revolutionary Road a few nights ago. I read the book six years ago and I loved it and for some reason I always thought the movie had been panned when it came out. Apparently not – nor did it deserve to be panned. It’s very faithful to the book and the acting all around is strong. Yadda, yadda, yadda.
I had the rare feeling of encountering a work of art and having a different reaction to an aspect of it. When I read the book, I could see how those rows started and how they kept going and I felt Yates had gotten them down to a tee. I felt for Frank and April. This time, I felt that if Frank had stayed quiet sometimes, or said nothing for a while, things could have been better at significant moments.
Now, that’s to say: Frank, you have some learning to do yet.
I never felt that five years ago. I didn’t understand the wisdom of silence then, and thought like Frank, that you had to sort things out there and then, and if that didn’t work, well, you got pissed off and starting listing things that were wrong, things that you were sick of putting up with. But this time it was staring me in the face: April even says it to him. She says: “Can you never just stay quiet and let me think?”
Photo: rottentomatoes.com
