The Movie: Revolutionary Road (opening December 26)

The Buzz: Kate and Leo reunite, sans boat.

The Trailer:

The Review:

Honestly? If this movie weren’t generating some crazy Oscar buzz–and if I didn’t have faith in Kate Winslet’s choices–then I don’t know that I would see it.

The trailer makes it look like Revolutionary Road is telling the same hell-in-suburbia story that every movie has ever told, ever. Only this time, everyone is precociously articulate about why they hate their white picket lives. When a character says, “Look at us! We’re just like everyone else! We bought into the same ridiculous delusion,” while boozy-sad piano music plays in the background, then I look for the smug graduate student who’s responsible.

Haven’t we exhausted the horrors of suburban life? Haven’t we realized this particular vision of the American dream doesn’t always work out?

My hope is that the trailer oversimplifies. Else my Christmas vacation is going to have a looong afternoon.

(BTW, this movie gets bonus points because it co-stars Kristen Connolly, who went to grad school with me.)

The Rating: Two Highball Glasses, Hidden Behind the Cookbooks Before Hubby Comes Home