There has been much buzz surrounding the project that is bringing Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet back together [1] for the first time since Titanic, a family drama based on a 1961 novel titled Revolutionary Road [1]. Yet there's another movie that comes out this fall with a similar title which is also set in suburban Connecticut [1]! Titled Reservation Road [2] and also based on a novel [3], 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.