Revolutionary Road and the Anti-Pop Culture

One of my favorite musicians, former Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell, was once quoted as saying, “People just don’t realize how much fun it is to be depressed.”

Now, while I hesitate to go nearly that far, I must say that in popular culture there’s a ridiculous misconception that everything must be upbeat and have a happy ending. Clearly that’s not the case. In an era when ‘Top 40’ music is almost entirely comprised of hip-hop and bubble gum pop, there needs to be a freaking reality check. That’s why I tend to search for good music rather than just listen for it – you’re certainly not going to find much of it on mainstream radio.

Likewise, the best movies you ever see are not likely to be the action blockbusters that cost $100+ million to produce. One of the best movies I’ve seen recently falls into that category. It was Revolutionary Road, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. A couple of notes to consider if you are interested in seeing it.

1. You may not want to watch this with your spouse
2. You certainly don’t want to watch it with your spouse if you’ve had some problems at home
3. You may not want to watch it at all unless you’re truly a fan of film and can really appreciate the portrayal of an unhappy story. Not everyone can do that.

All those things considered, this movie is by no means over-the-top in its content. It just won’t make you feel warm and fuzzy at any time. But we don’t always need to be warm and fuzzy. A little dose of the darker side of reality should be appreciated.