Revolutionary Road

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939047.html?categoryid=3266&cs=1
It is clear that in Revolutionary Road, the Wheelers find their sub-urban life too typical and mundane. Both April and Frank Wheeler had a very different vision of their lives in the beginning and felt that they had not achieved their original goals. April aspired to be an actress which she thought would provide a life which was unpredictable and exciting. Frank's dreams involved travel, and doing something which was intellectually stimulating and ultimately different to the life his father had. They were both left unfulfilled by the domestication of their lives i.e. marriage, children, big house, Frank working a typical 9-5 job and April being a housewife. And this is where they locate the downfall of their lives. This idea is interesting as is an opposite view of the typical American Dream and goes against typical American Values. They consider this life "hopeless" and Paris is where they see their dreams being fulfilled.
I thought that the main message of the film was that these two characters are blaming everything around them for their own personal failures. Even though they have what is seemingly the perfect American life, they want more for themselves which is clearly a middle class point of view as they feel that they have the choice to decide what their life involves. If they really wanted to they could have had their life in Paris, but it is Frank’s fear that holds them back, Frank differs to April as he is seemingly content with the family life and his job where as April is not. I read a review of the film from Variety and it picks up on several crucial plot themes and how this relates to ideas of work and class. The film portrays the downside of suburban life and how as nice something looks on the outside there is a darker depth on the inside (much related to Mendes’ other film American Beauty) But where Rev Road differs from American Beauty is that both the characters actually admit that their lives are empty. It is all based around these views of working for enjoyment rather than money.
Many elements of the film are notable such as the insane character, who is the only other person in the film who agrees with The Wheeler’s and as the Wheeler’s realise does this make them also insane? I would suggest that the film is about conforming to typical American Values and that the characters are both scared of losing the security of family life, and Frank’s job as they would feel at a loss. But in turn they also feel at a loss for staying and so becomes a situation that cannot be helped.