Revolutionary Road (2008) -vs- American Beauty (1999)

Lives of Not-So-Quiet Desperation

The Smackdown.  The hype around "Revolutionary Road," of course, centers around the fact that it re-unites Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) for the first time since the mega-super blockbuster "Titanic."  But smacking "Revolutionary Road" against "Titanic" would be like comparing apples and sailboats.  The real competition is between the family dysfunction of the 1999 Oscar winning "American Beauty" and the latest "Revolutionary Road" portrayal, both filmed by British director Sam Mendes.  If Jack had survived and he and Rose had gone on to settle into the suburbs, they might have ended up like Frank and April Wheeler.  Whether that couple would be as compelling to view as Lester and Carolyn Burnam, there's the battle ahead.

The Challenger.  "Revolutionary Road" tells the story of Frank and April Wheeler, a couple of once-free spirits who have moved into the suburbs of 1950s America and are slowly dying inside.  The problem appears to be that neither one of them are the people they once were and neither one of them likes who they've become or who their partner has become.  This is a tough spot for any couple with two children but in the America of that time where sexism is rampant, everybody smokes and drinks, and nobody says what they mean, it can be deadly.  The film is not full of event, it's full of small details of daily life and decaying marriage, realized with a spot-on intensity.  It feels so true to human nature than whenever you see anything that even remotely reminds you of yourself or your own marriage, all you can do is cringe.

The Defending Champion.  If you haven't seen "American Beauty," you probably at least know that it won the Oscar for "Best Picture" and that Kevin Spacey took home the "Best Actor" award.  Written by Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under"), it takes us inside the (dead) head of Lester Burnam (Spacey) who is living a life of nearly-silent desperation in the suburbs when something just snaps.  It's not played for comedy, but it is funny, but also tragic.  The thing that snaps, apparently, is Spacey seeing the nubile blonde cheerleader played by Mena Suvari at his daughter's high school and deciding that he needs to bed her.  But first he sheds all the vestiges of his life, like his job, his quiet civility, his straightness, several pounds of body fat and even his attempts to appear normal.  He deserves that Oscar and the plots and sub-plots that surrounded his performance only gave it the world to emerge from.

The Scorecard.   In the last year, both the writer and the director of "American Beauty" have tried to reclaim the magic of the moment.  Screenwriter Alan Ball gave it a shot with "Towelhead" and fell drastically short, by most accounts.  Director Sam Mendes made a better film than his earlier collaborator.

First, let's go tonal.  "American Beauty" is funny/creepy.  "Revolutionary Road" is sad/creepy.  There's no question that the earlier film is the more commercial, despite all its risk-taking.  Kevin Spacey's angry desperation has moments of high comedy.  There's not a laugh in the entire running time of "Revolutionary Road."  Nor is there a tear.  It's sad without being truly emotional.  It's more pathetic. 

Mendes, however, has grown even better as a director in the last decade.  So, rather than this pathetic quality being a turn-off, it's a turn-on.  He lets these characters breathe.  There are many, many moments of no dialogue where much is said, and powerfully so.

This latest film feels quite a bit like Todd Haynes's "Far From Heaven" which was set in the same time period and focused on another perfect marriage falling apart.  It also feels a little bit like Todd Field's "Little Children."  Both were uncomfortable, hard-to-watch, critically acclaimed films that, as I recall, did practically no box office.

"Revolutionary Road," however, feels a lot like AMC's "Mad Men," especially with the constant drinking, smoking, blatant sexism and repressed desires.  That does not necessarily bode well for success.  At least "Mad Men" is free to watch from the comfort of your own home.  This requires paying parking and popcorn.

The thing that sucked you into "American Beauty" was its sense of dreaded normalcy.  It felt familiar (at least to me) yet it held such dark secrets. "Revolutionary Road" has a great sense of dreaded normalcy, too, only it's about your parents' or grandparents' lives. 

The Decision.  I wouldn't be surprised if the "Titanic" reunion angle (it also includes a key role for Kathy Bates) actually gives "Revolutionary Road" a significant boost at the box office.  We know with its acting and directing pedigree it's going to get a lot of Oscar attention turned on it.  The thing about this new film, though, is that while "American Beauty" was a really high-class date movie at the theaters, "Revolutionary Road" is a nearly perfect home DVD experience.  It's small, thoughtful, beautifully realized and the kind of uncomfortable experience that you might want to watch and absorb by yourself or a loved one without being in a crowd of people.  "American Beauty" has many layers and can be seen multiple times.  It deserved the Oscar it won and, in this case, up against an able opponent, it still deserves to convincingly win this Smackdown.

"Revolutionary Road" was screened at the Crest Theater in Westwood, California on November 28, 2008.