Who Plays Who?

Kate Winslet Leonardo DiCaprio Michael Shannon Ryan Simpkins Ty Simpkins Kathy Bates Richard Easton David Harbour Kathryn Hahn Zoe Kazan Dylan Baker Keith Reddin Max Casella Max Baker

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April Wheeler Frank Wheeler John Givings Jennifer Wheeler Michael Wheeler Mrs Helen Givings Mr Howard Givings Shep Campbell Milly Campbell Maureen Grube Jack Ordway Ted Bandy Ed Small Vince Lathrop

The Inside Story In 1961, Richard Yates’ emotionally charged novel, "Revolutionary Road", shook the literary world. It was Richard Yates's debut novel, published when he was thirty six years old. The story’s main characters, a pair of young lovers with grand dreams, Frank and April Wheeler, became indelibly real to readers; and ever since, they have sparked compelling discussion about the nature of marriage, the roles of men and women in modern society and the possibility of reconciling the realities of families, jobs and responsibility with the idealistic yearnings of youth. When Frank and April hatch a plan to reinvigorate their marriage by moving to the exhilarating freedom of Paris, it sparks a fateful conflict between her dreams and his fear of failing to make them come true. The novel would go on to quietly become one of the most influential books of the century. 1996 Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award winning writer Richard Ford ("Independence Day") says that it became like a "secret handshake among writers: a shared knowledge that this was one of those rare, truly eye-opening American novels every author wishes they might pen." It has been an unusually long journey from the page to screen for Yates's masterwork. Since its initial publication, a variety of filmmakers, including four time EMMY Award winner John Frankenheimer, flirted with adapting the book. But no viable screenplay ever came to pass. Having sold the rights to producer and two time Oscar winner Albert Ruddy ("The Godfather" & "Million Dollar Baby") for a flat fifteen thousand five hundred dollars US; who in turn sold them to Patrick O’Neal ("The Secret Life of an American Wife" & "Under Siege"); Yates (who passed on 7th November 1992) unsuccessfully tried to get the rights back so that he could write his own adaptation of the novel. But O’Neal, and later his widow, refused to give them up, not wanting to let go of their own vision of what a movie of this novel could be. With so many heightened feelings surrounding Revolutionary Road, finding a screenwriter willing to take a fresh crack at the adaptation was not easy. The circuitous path ended with Justin Haythe, who is not only a screenwriter ("The Clearing") but equally important, an acclaimed novelist in his own right, garnering a Man Booker Prize nomination for his debut, "The Honeymoon". Haythe knew he was entering hallowed ground for writers, but felt the risk was worth it because Yates’ story still speaks so resonantly today. "Though the novel is anchored in the '50s, the characters are so psychologically recognizable to our own times," he says. "I felt that this story is so relevant to our lives now, yet is set during such a seminal period in America. It was most worthy of a film." For Haythe, the linchpin of the story is the Wheeler's belief that they’re some-what special, different, destined for something grander than the life they are now leading: an illusion that circumstances will shatter. "What makes Frank and April's romance so exciting at first is the presumption that they are not like everyone around them," he explained. As for the author's novel, he hopes "the movie will lead more people to rediscover Yates, and give him the recognition he always wanted and deserved." The quest to find a director whose sensibility could work synergistically with the poetic sharpness of Yates, would lead to Oscar ® winner Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") who found out about the project through wife, Kate Winslet, after was sent Haythe’s screenplay. Winslet suggested that Mendes ought to direct it. "It became one of those things that grew and grew in momentum the more we talked about it," Mendes recalls. "When I read the book, I realized what an incredible film it could make, that it could be an exciting, modern story. There’s so much wisdom and insight in it, and it feels wonderful to finally bring it to a wider audience." He was especially drawn to the material as a searing, raw portrait of a marriage in both its most tender and tumultuous moments, exploring the ways in which the outcome and the dynamics of a romance can be as unfair as they are liberating. "What I saw in this story was the potential to explore a marriage laid out in detail – all the hard edges, the vulnerability, the cruelty, the rage and raw emotionalitys. Sometimes a couple who want to be together, who feel they should be together, can’t make it work. The audience’s feelings about Frank and April become as conflicted and mysterious as our feelings about relationships and life in general." Yates tinged the tragedy of the love story with a sense of hope. "It’s full of Yates’ wit, eccentricity, originality and characters you really like, perhaps in spite of yourself. It’s very full of details about human beings: both the bad and the wonderful; and that was what I wanted to get on screen. I hope that one of the discussions the movie raises, which the book did, is about how the twentieth century and the 1950s led us to where we are now." Early on, Mendes had in mind his key cast, envisioning Leonardo DiCaprio to join Kate Winslet in the roles of Frank and April, believing they could evoke at once the tenderness of the couple’s love and the toxicity of their illusions about one another. "Leo and Kate have known each other since they were twenty years old. They know each other’s foibles and they can’t pretend to be something they’re not with each other," Mendes explained. "There’s a level of honesty with them, a sense of mutual support and also a kind of testing of each other. Above and beyond that, they have that quality where two plus two equals five: when you put the two of them together, there’s another thing that emerges." Frank Wheeler is also among the most complex characters in American literature history. At twenty nine, he already has many accomplishments: he’s a graduate of Columbia, a combat veteran and working his way up the ladder in his job at Knox. For the first time in his career, two time National Board of Review Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio ("What's Eating Gilbert Grape" & "The Departed") plays a husband and father. For DiCaprio ("Catch Me If You Can" & "Gangs Of New York"), it was the stories complexity, both in the novel and the screenplay, that got under his skin. "I’d never read anything like this before about two characters who aren’t heroic, who aren’t victorious at the end of the day, but are just two people desperately trying to make things work and struggling with what they believe their lives should be." DiCaprio was further intrigued by the challenge of peering deep into the complexities of a marriage. "The dynamic between Frank and April is so powerful and realistic, you feel like you’re a fly on the wall watching an intimate relationship disintegrate." Most of all, DiCaprio was looking forward to exploring these depths with Kate Winslet. "We’ve been very dear friends for a long time so I felt we could bring something out of the dialogue of these two characters that would be very realistic, very raw and intense," he revealed. "I knew we could bring that out in each other and I think she knew it, too." The role of Alice Wheeler seems to be made for Winslet. "She’s always played complex, conflicted characters while retaining their humanity and warmth. So I felt she would be able to walk the tightrope of April and help the audience understand why she does what she does," says Mendes. "Putting Kate, who is this intense, effervescent personality, in the middle of all the restrictions for women in that time, you immediately feel the pathos of April," says Haythe. Winslet had fallen in love with the novel and Haythe’s screenplay even before her husband knew about it. "I fell in love with the honesty and integrity of it, with its wonderful take on the reality of a marriage. "The story is full of characters, who are each trying to figure out who they are and how to be the people they want to be. For me to then be able to make this movie with my husband directing and my friend playing my husband was just a dream." Academy Award ® winner Kathy Bates ("Misery") was cast as Mrs Givings, the local busybody and realtor who sells the American dream, yet is hiding her own wrenching family crisis. "I was really interested to play Mrs Givings, because underneath this bright, perky woman who sells homes is a tremendous amount of pain," three time American Comedy Award winner Bates explained. "I also thought the script Justin Haythe wrote stayed very true to the novel: the feeling of the story and the characters absolutely jumped off the page." "The way Kathy plays her, Mrs Givings is very funny, but she also breaks your heart," notes Mendes. Bates, who also appeared in "Titanic" was thrilled to work with them again. "I think Kate is now at the top of her game. She’s incredibly seasoned and very thoughtful, always looking for ways to make deeper choices as an actress. It’s also been wonderful to see how Leo has developed his talent and to see the power and the focus of his work in his role as Frank Wheeler." It is John Givings, the mentally ill mathematician, who provides some of the most cataclysmic scenes in the film, as he probes the truth behind the Wheeler's façade, sensing the tension in their union, questioning their conformity and escapism, and raising provocative questions about the personal costs of "playing house" for each of them. Michael Shannon, who plays Mrs Giving's son believes John brings to the fore one of the most fascinating themes in the story. "A lot of times people who read the book think that John is the sanest one of them all, so it raises the issues of which lifestyle is crazy and which isn’t. In order to survive in the world, do you have to be numb or not paying attention or willing to surrender any sense of discovery about life: or must you do the opposite?" The Wheelers’ neighbors and closest friends, Shep and Milly Campbell, expose another side of marriage: the social side, in which couples form partnerships with other couples, adding to the complexity. David Harbour ("Quantum Of Solace") plays Shep, while Kathryn Hahn, who was recently seen with Will Ferrell in the comedy "Step Brothers" plays Milly. "Kate’s strength and intelligence really comes across in April. You see exactly why she would be so attractive to someone like Shep who feels so adrift in his life," says Harbour. Hahn had a great deal of empathy for Milly. "She knows that she’s not worldly, classy, sophisticated or anything of those things that April Wheeler is." Twenty thee year old Zoe Kazan was cast as the naïve Maureen. "There’s a kind of sweetness and innocence to her, but also a very real need for human contact. When Frank takes an interest in Maureen, however short-lived, it lights up her world. To her, it’s the most romantic, exciting thing that’s ever happened." The Verdict "When the trailer for the upcoming film "The Reader" (February 19th 2009) caught my eye last year, I have to admit I was hooked. I couldn't wait to see it. Having been a big supporter of Kate Winslet's peformances over the years ( in particular her roles as, Young Iris Murdoch in "Iris" and Sarah Pierce in "Little Children"), her acting ability and her awesome onscreen pressence have, I must confess, created a lasting impression on me. But now, after seeing her remarkable turn as April Wheeler in "Revolutionary Road", I am even more excited. Why? Well, all I can say is this: if she has received an Oscar ® nomination for "The Reader", it must be one hell of a performance. And Winslet isn't the only "Revolutionary Road" cast member to impress. With limited screen time, Michael Shannon has picked up an Oscar ® nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Shannon's role as the troubled John Givings would have been, in any other year, good enough to go head to toe with anyone else nominated in that category. But with all the hype behind Heath Ledger's 'Joker' role, there's little chance he, like Josh Brolin ("Milk"), Robert Downey Jr ("Tropic Thunder") and, Philip Seymour Hoffman ("Doubt"), will even get a look in. In fact, I'll go out on a limb here: I'd like to see Robert Downey Jr get the gong. By the way, the late Heath Ledger (Ennis Del Mar in "Brokeback Mountain") lost out to Philip Seymour Hoffman (Truman Capote in "Capote") in the Best Actor Category at the 78th Academy Awards on March 5th 2006. "Revolutionary Road" is a tragic tale, set in the 1950's, of one couple whose dreams and aspirations have disolved as they slowly become lost in the hopeless isolation of what appears to be an ideal suburban existence. Not everyone will appreciate the films cutting message, which despite being half a century behind our enlightened times, is I'm guessing, going to prick many a conscience in the audience. There will be cinemagoers who recognize, the trap the Wheeler's have fallen into, is one many established marriages still become victims of today. Indeed, perhaps even their own. Other standouts are Kathy Bates, Dylan Baker, David Harbour & Zoe Kazan. Great effort! Highly recommended. 4 1/2 STARS." Synopsis

Frank and April have always seen themselves as special, different, ready and willing to live their lives based on higher ideals. So, as soon as they move into their new house on Revolutionary Road, they proudly declare their independence from the suburban inertia that surrounds them and determine never to be trapped by the social confines of their era. Yet for all their charm, beauty and irreverence, the Wheelers find themselves becoming exactly what they didn’t expect: a good man with a routine job whose nerve has gone missing; a less than happy homemaker starving for fulfillment and passion; an American family with lost dreams, like any other. Driven to change their fates, April hatches an audacious plan to start all over again, to leave the comforts of Connecticut behind for the great unknown of Paris. But when the plan is put in motion, each spouse is pushed to extremes.

What Do The Critics Say?

"Director Sam Mendes, shooting in widescreen, turns the "pretty lives" of his characters into a pastel nightmare of sterile perfection; the movie has a dream-like feel that perfectly matches the tortured illusions of his troubled and troubling characters. No cheap shot at suburbia, Revolutionary Road is a gripping and harrowing dissection of two deluded souls." Peter Galvin FILMINK "Mendes captures the 1950s existence in a way that makes us question why people were so unquestioning back then. There is great anguish and great artistry in this showcase by Winslet. This is a film that hurts so good." Michael Smith TULSA WORLD "The movie is intense and stylized, and bristling with great performances." Liz Braun JAM! MOVIES "Directed with extraordinary skill by Sam Mendes, the film is a tough road well worth traveling." Peter Travers ROLLING STONE "Revolutionary Road ranks right up there with Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in its characterization of a coupling deeply scabrous and defective." Kimberly Jones AUSTIN CHRONICLE "Skilfully adapted and superbly directed, the film is an emotional tornado, delivered with exceptional performances from not only the two leads but the entire cast. It is an involving film that disturbs on the deepest levels as tensions mount, words ricochet like bullets and actions speak louder than words." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE

DiCaprio and Winslet pour their hearts into their characters, in two of the year's most incendiary performances, baring their hearts and souls in a bruising work. They remind me of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolf, that Molotov cocktail of a film that left us crumpled in our seats. Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "A showcase for DiCaprio and Winslet's formidable talents, and they are up to the challenge of playing tortured, well intentioned but ultimately doomed victims of dashed dreams." Brett McCracken CHRISTIANITY TODAY "Revolutionary Road is easily the best-acted film of 2008, and one of the most corrosive." Colin Covert MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE "An unforgettable film and one of the year's best." Don R Lewis FILM THREAT "Revolutionary Road works as a showcase for performances: DiCaprio and Winslet are at the top of their game." Karina Longworth SPOUT BLOG "This film is so good it is devastating. A lot of people believe their parents didn't understand them. What if they didn't understand themselves?" Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "This is a movie that can and should be seen more than once. Watch it one time through her eyes. Watch it again through his eyes. It works both ways. It works in every way. This is a great American film. Revolutionary Road gets my vote as the best American film of 2008." Mick LaSalle SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Crew Bytes "REVOLUTIONARY ROAD" was .......
directed by 2008 Christopher Award winner Sam Mendes [TV'S "Cabaret" and "Company"]; screenplay by Justin Haythe ["The Clearing"]; costume design by 2004 Hollywood Film Festival Costume Designer of the Year Award winner Albert Wolsky ["Maid In Manhattan", "The Manchurian Candidate" and "Across the Universe"]; production design by Kristi Zea ["Philadelphia", "The Departed" and "The Brave One"]; edited by Tariq Anwar ["Greenfingers", "Stage Beauty" and "The Good Shepherd"]; cinematography by 1992 & 2005 ASC Award winner Roger Deakins ["The Shawshank Redemption", "Fargo", "The Big Lebowski" and "A Beautiful Mind"]; original music by 1998 Australian Film Institute Award winner Thomas Newman ["Oscar & Lucinda", "Cinderella Man", "Little Children" and "WALL·E"]. Run Time 119 minutes Rated M [AUST] ©2009 - Paramount Pictures - All Rights Reserved ©2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.