Drama
I could write a book on this movie. As a matter of fact, I already have. It's called The Divine New Order. But I will just comment on the main theme of the movie, which is about the cowardice and smallness of the husband, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, and the all-too-obedient wife, who probably was the starseed (married to the new-soul husband) who gave up her dreams to be an actress for the sake of her husband, who wanted to become a 9-to-5 guy, buy the home with the white picket fence, and be miserable for the rest of his life.
The film takes place in the 1950s, but wrong relationships have happened for centuries. Usually the money-maker is the newer soul, who can work the mundane jobs to support the family, while the artist struggles for many many years and usually has to give up his or her dreams. Great acting by Kate Winslet, who plays the misguided wife who follows the dictates of her husband and society, rather than her own heart. Michael Shannon plays a educated man who went crazy, who understood exactly what I'm saying, and was called insane for it, then put into a mental institution. He tried to encourage the wife (Kate Winslet) to follow her dreams.
I have to admit that Leonardo DiCaprio did play a really good role here of being a wimpy guy, who takes the easy way out—a good role for him, because usually no matter in what role he plays, he comes off like a wimpy guy anyway. So in this role, he was very effective. Kathy Bates does a marvelous job as an overpowering mother of the insane guy, who she probably drove insane by her new-soul, close-minded thinking.
~Gabriel of Urantia*MPAA = Motion Picture Association of America
