'Revolutionary Road' is a glossy, engrossing tale of mad men and suffering wives

They fill Grand Central twice a day these 1950s Manhattan salary men in their gray flannel suits. They disembark from commuter trains in the morning, then, return to the platforms at day's end for trips back to their suburban homes and families. Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one of them, working at Knox, the same office machinery company where his father worked. It's not the life Frank planned for himself or his pretty wife April (Kate Winslet).

The Wheelers see themselves as different from the people around them, worldlier, less vulgar. So Frank and April plan to relocate their family to Paris and begin a new bohemian chapter. But when their plans go awry, cracks begin to quickly appear in their comfortable lives. The Wheelers are not as happy as they think.

Regret, growing dissatisfaction with one's life and a penchant for blaming the spouse for one's own unhappiness are the emotional rails running throughout director Sam Mendes' glossy adaptation of Richard Yates' classic novel "Revolutionary Road."

Combining the casual workplace misogyny from the acclaimed TV drama "Mad Men" with precise details of mid-century suburban affluence found in John Cheever stories, "Revolutionary Road" has perfect craftsmanship, memorable characters and real meaning behind its period drama.

It is a smart, somewhat challenging adult story superior to most movies in theaters this season and something I would much prefer watching to the current hit, the affable dog comedy "Marley & Me."

Sam Mendes ("American Beauty," "Road to Perdition") is a talented filmmaker, an experienced stage director with natural skills for telling stories via images more than dialogue. Yet, there is a challenge to adapting Yates and Mendes fails when it comes to portraying the irony in Frank and April's unraveling lives. While there is technical exactitude and brilliance in his moviemaking, thanks to excellent contributions from cameraman Roger Deakins, production designer Kristi Zea, costume designer Albert Wolsky and screenwriter Justin Haythe's loyal adaptation, Mendes fails to capture the cadence of everyday life in 1955 Manhattan and suburban Connecticut.

"Revolutionary Road," is a lovely, engrossing, somewhat flawed movie, much how the similarly themed "The Swimmer" failed to match up to Cheever's excellent short story.

With his movie adaptation, Mendes does not match Yates but that may be an impossible task. But the film is absorbing from start to finish. There is feeling, a strong sense for the unhappiness in Frank and April's lives and straightforward storytelling free of arching melodrama.

Much is being made of the fact that "Revolutionary Road" is a reunion of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio for the first time since "Titanic." For DiCaprio, "Revolutionary Road" is a perfect showcase for all his complexities and multifaceted talents. There is integrity to DiCaprio's work and a rich portrayal of a man's shortcomings and of flaws. In his best sequence, Frank returns home for a birthday celebration with his family after an afternoon fling with a pretty secretary. He acts surprised and happy but his expression says he would rather be back in Manhattan.

Kate Winslet is beautifully nuanced as April, a woman dying on the inside. Her performance in "The Reader" may be more dynamic but "Revolutionary Road" offers the British actress a chance to show emotional restraint.

A strong supporting cast completes the story: Jay O. Sanders as Frank's boss Bart Pollock, who offers him a promotion to good to pass; Dylan Baker as his drunk coworker Jack Ordway, Kathyrn Hahn and David Harbour as Milly and Shep Campbell, the couple next door.

"Revolutionary Road" was written decades ago but it remains just as relevant today in its depiction of suburban affluence as one of emptiness and disappointment.

The hip and engrossing TV series "Mad Med" has made Mid-century America a popular setting for drama. Much about "Revolutionary Road" feels familiar to those who have experienced life's joys and setbacks and of course to those who read Cheever, Updike and remember Billy Wilder's "The Apartment." They are impressive company, now add "Revolutionary Road" to the list.

Directed By: Sam Mendes

Written By: Justin Haythe, from the novel by Richard Yates

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Jay O. Sanders, Dylan Baker, Kathyrn Hahn and David Harbour

Produced By: BBC Films, Evamore Entertainment, Neal Street Productions, Goldcrest Pictures

Released By: Paramount Vantage and DreamWorks Pictures