There has been much buzz surrounding the project that is bringing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet back together for the first time since Titanic, a family drama based on a 1961 novel titled Revolutionary Road. Yet there's another movie that comes out this fall with a similar title which is also set in suburban Connecticut! Titled Reservation Road and also based on a novel, the thriller can easily be confused with Revolutionary Road, so I've devised a handy-dandy chart to help keep them straight:
| Title | Original Author and Publication Date | Setting | Premise | Road Significance | Stars | Release Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revolutionary Road | Richard Yates, December 1961 | Mid-1950s suburban Connecticut | Young parents April and Frank Wheeler struggle with the confines of suburban life and the repressive social atmosphere. | Revolutionary Road is where the Wheelers live. | Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kathy Bates, Michael Shannon | Fall/Winter 2008 |
| Reservation Road | John Burnham Schwartz, October 1999 | Modern-day suburban Connecticut | The story revolves around one grieving father’s hunt for his son’s killer while another father begins to drown in his own guilt. | Reservation Road is the site of the boy’s death. | Mark Ruffalo, Joaquin Phoenix, Jennifer Connolly, Mira Sorvino, Elle Fanning | October 19, 2007 |
I've read both books and they're each worthy of a read before the film versions hit theaters. Between the two, however, I'd more recommend Revolutionary Road for its rich writing, depth and startling peek into the private life of a 20-something couple during a fascinating bygone era (the 1950s). Reservation Road is also a terrific read as a gripping, poignant page-turner. Both are roads you should wander down.
Thanks for the heads up about both of these, Buzz. Kind of reminds me of the confusion between The Good Shepherd and The Good German. Even though they were quite different, I always had to pause to think about which was which.
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