Kate Winslet and Leonardo di Caprio, yet again creating something as powerful as the Titanic, this time maybe not as flamboyant or beautiful, but more intense and hard hitting.
It is set is the early 1950's of America, and starts beautifully enough with the two falling in love almost at their first meet, and what connects them seems to be this dream of a bohemian life, one of choice and passion. (unrealistic? idealistic?)
The movie quickly fast forwards eight years.. married, a middle class suburban life, a decent job, a fixed routine, a neat home, two children, good neighbors, friendly dinners. While it all seems a perfectly settled space, April is holding onto their dream, unhappy and afraid of the path she sees ahead, one that looks set to go through to the end of life.
Still very much in love with each other, her unhappiness and suffocation evident, Frank cares enough to buy into a restart of their dream. She has the plan...to up life as they have it, and move to Paris, where she will get a job as receptionist and he will be able to follow his passion.
Energy and laughter comes back into the little household.
For a while. Until life throws a curved ball at them. A nicely disguised one. He gets a promotion and a raise, and she gets pregnant. He bows to both. She doesn't. Her dream is her life...she's willing to give it all she has, but there's only so much she can do alone.
The story is pretty timeless, about how men and women turn into what they did not want, and life gets them.
A line from Roger Ebert, one of my favorite, whose review I will typically browse before watching a movie - "The film is so good that it's devastating"
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