4. Revolutionary Road (2008)
This depression fest comes from Sam Mendes. Frank and April meet each other and settle down to domesticity in 1950s America - having two children. They chum about with their neighbours and pretend everything is rosy until April's acting career fails to take off and Frank feels the tedium of his boring desk job. They become convinced that a move to Paris is the key to their problems. However, circumstances deprive them of this chance. Frank inadvertently earns a promotion at work and April becomes pregnant. There is much rancour and bitterness between the couple but one morning April appears calm and makes Frank his breakfast. Unfortunately this is just a hollow act of appeasement. She performs an abortion upon herself and dies. Frank subsequently gets a new job working with computers in the city and he is a devoted father. The film is amazingly well acted by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. It is beautifully shot and a class act all the way. It is, however, depressing as hell. You won't regret watching it - but it is unlikely to become a favourite regular in your film collection as it is such a downer. It paints a hellish picture of marriage and a vision of two people gradually descending into mutual loathing and incompatibility - trapped by the institution of wedlock. Even if they appear to be okay with each other on occasion - there is palpable tension between Frank and April during those scenes. A lot of viewers really have a strong dislike for the character April, feeling that she is cold and dispassionate. However, she is portrayed magnificently by Kate Winslet - a brave, honest performance. A grim picture indeed - so miserable that you couldn't love it.