Actions don't speak louder than words

We've all been slightly disappointed in highly anticipated movies: "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," "Sex and the City" and "Quantum of Solace."

Unfortunately, "Revolutionary Road" now joins their ranks.

Where Richard Yates' novel was effortless, director Sam Mendes' film version of "Revolutionary Road" is forced.

When the novel made you cringe from the hate between husband and wife, the movie leaves you somewhat blah.

While Yates accomplished his story beautifully with both intensity and sentimentality, Mendes and screenwriter Justin Haythe struggle to convey more than shouting matches and thought-filled stares.

"Revolutionary Road" is the story of April (Kate Winslet) and Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio). The pair meet shortly after college and begin a love affair in Frank's small Belthune apartment in New York City.

When April becomes pregnant, the couple decides to get married and settle down.

Like a domino effect, they decide to move to the suburbs, have a second child to prove the first one wasn't a mistake and Frank takes an uninspired corporate job at Knox Business Machines.

The events that follow discuss marital issues of the 1950s: April yearns to lead a more independent and imaginative life in Paris while Frank wants to capitalize on his promotion at work and raise a larger family.

The events worked well in Yates' novel because he was able to accentuate them with internal dialogue.

Without the thoughts of both April and Frank, the film lacks the emotional punch of their screamed words and awkward silences.

Only by reading the book do you understand the deep-seeded reasons for April's immense disappointment and Frank's inability to console her.

Despite Mendes' and Haythe's inability to capture the full potential of Yates' characters, Winslet and DiCaprio provide gripping performances. Winslet's ability to appear calm and collected only to explode into a suppressed woman seconds later amazes.

DiCaprio's portrayal of a boy stuck filling the shoes of a man while crying to his wife, "You don't hate me, do you?" is heartbreaking.

The film doesn't fail on all accounts. Mendes provides superb direction comparable to his Oscar-winning "American Beauty."

The pristine close-ups of Winslet and DiCaprio contribute to the dramatic effect of the story.

Haythe rightfully remains dedicated to the dialogue provided by Yates' novel. A word is rarely uttered that Yates did not write himself.

Perhaps the film's most notable tagline, "How do you break free without breaking apart?" encompasses the struggles of Mendes and Haythe.

The pair attempted to discover an original way to present Yates' novel but ultimately failed.

"Revolutionary Road" is one of the rare cases in which actions don't speak louder than words. tkloeppel@unews.com