Revolutionary Road

After leaving the cinema my first thought was: 'I just watched Titanic all over again, only this time without any water'. And the more I think about it, the more I feel i'm right. Just like Titanic it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as two young people in love. There is the same kind of tragedy, only the other way round (I hope I'm being cryptic enough). There's Kathy Bates again, there's romance and it goes on and on and on...which is not necesarilly a bad thing in case of Revolutionary Road (but it was in Titanic...come on, DIE...was my thought).

Those of us who thought we would see the life of a young bohemian couple going through the 7-year-itch with some famous events going on in the background (hence the title Revolutionary Road) were disappointed, as the Revolutionary Road refers only to the street the young couple lives on. Revolutionary, it ain't. Interesting? Well, the members of BeWelcome.org and Couchsurfing who chose this movie over "Frost/Nixon" were a bit divided about this one. If you are someone who loves Ingman Bergman's "Scenes from a Marriage", then you will love the scenes where all the hatred comes oozing to the surface. But if you (like me) have a natural problem with conflicts and fights, you will leave the cinema distraught. Maybe that is what director Sam Mendes really wanted.

It's 1955. Frank and April Wheeler, in the seventh year of their marriage, have fallen into a life that appears to most as being perfect. They live in the Connecticut suburbs with two young children. Frank commutes to New York City where he works in an office job while April stays at home as a housewife. But they're not happy. April has forgone her dream of becoming an actress, and Frank hates his job - one where he places little effort - although he has never figured out what his passion in life is.


Quote from Revolutionary Road:

April Wheeler: So now I'm crazy because I don't love you, right? Is that the point?
Frank Wheeler: No! Wrong! You're not crazy, and you do love me. That's the point, April.
April Wheeler: But I don't. I hate you. You were just some boy who made me laugh at a party once, and now I loathe the sight of you. In fact, if you come any closer, if you touch me or anything, I think I'll scream.
Frank Wheeler: Frank: Oh, come on, stop this April.
[He touches her for an instant and she screams at the top of her lungs before walking away. He chases after her]
Frank Wheeler: Fuck you, April! Fuck you and all your hateful, goddamn -
[He breaks a chair against a wall]
April Wheeler: What are you going to do now? Are you going to hit me? To show me how much you love me?
Frank Wheeler: Don't worry, I can't be bothered! You're not worth the trouble it would take to hit you! You're not worth the powder it would take to blow you up. You are an empty, empty, hollow shell of a woman. I mean, what the hell are you doing in my house if you hate me so much? Why the hell are you married to me? What the hell are you doing carrying my child? I mean, why didn't you just get rid of it when you had the chance? Because listen to me, listen to me, I got news for you - I wish to God that you had!

Gangs of New York

I had read quite a lot of negative reviews about this movie: too long, too violent, too superficial and last but not least badly acted.
Well, for once the critics have a point. About half of the criticism seems justified. The movie is without any question too long. 2h30 to tell a story that could well have been explained in 15 minutes seems to be a tad too long: son avenges murder of father. But this is a pure Greek tragedy, so why not make it a bit longer. And Scorcese does take his time to show us New York in 1846. If we are to believe the movie, it was not a nice time. And I have a tendency to believe the events portrayed in this movie.
Criticism that the movie is too slow, is not entirely correct. I agree that some scenes could have been shortened, but the realistic scenery and the costumes are great to look at, and make the boring bits pass quickly.
Then there was the criticism that the film was too violent. Well, i'm sure the real thing was much more violent, but I can understand that this is not your average romantic story.
But the criticsim that "Gangs of New York" is superficial, is definitely NOT true. On the contrary, Scorsese puts a lot (too much?) information in the movie, and makes it sometimes difficult to follow.
And the acting? Excellent. Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant as Bill the Butcher and Leonardo Di Caprio knows how to act (Anyone who has seen "what's eating Gilbert Grape" knows what I mean).
Conclusion : I have some mixed feelings, but the strength of the movie is (as is often the case with Scorcese) hidden in the details.

Having seen his father killed in a major gang fight in New York, young Amsterdam Vallon is spirited away for his own safety. Some years later, he returns to the scene of his father's death, the notorious Five Points district in New York. It's 1863 and lower Manhattan is run by gangs, the most powerful of which is the Natives, headed by Bill "The Butcher" Cutting. He believes that America should belong to native-born Americans and opposes the waves of immigrants, mostly Irish, entering the city. It's also the time of the Civil War and forced conscription leads to the worst riots in US history. Amid the violence and corruption, young Vallon tries to establish himself in the area and also seek revenge over his father's death