MovieChat Forums > Revolutionary Road (2009) Discussion > April Knew What She Was Doing after Brea...

April Knew What She Was Doing after Breakfast...

posted 9 years ago by JaysonT
13 replies | jump to latest

(SPOILER)

So after admitting she didn't love him, Frank finds his wife making breakfast for him and suddenly she seems fine. She even smiles the entire time. Then he leaves, and she gives herself an abortion. But I think she intended to kill herself. Notice how she calls to say goodbye to her children. Notice how she stands motionless looking out the window as she bleeds. She intended to commit suicide. I don't understand why everyone else assumes it was an accident. It wasn't.

[–] yosoylalinda1-631-452136 9 years ago

I can see that, but why bother with the abortion? Why not just overdose on pills?

[–] dakowill11 9 years ago

She states to Frank: "You should value what you do, Frank. You're obviously good at it." But, the issue is, I guess, April didn't value what she did as a housewife and mother. She didn't feel she was good at it. Even with her acting she was left feeling inadequate. In the final scene where she prepares breakfast for Frank, I think, she is playing dutiful housewife, she's playing pretend. She was good at playing that role for however long--convincing Frank she was acquiescing to her lot in life--but refused to continue in it any further. Others, like Milly, were content to live their lives with a semblance of normality and purpose while on the inside they were denying their dreams, even themselves. And thus, imo, taking her life by taking the life of her unborn child she is taking a stab at the heart of motherhood as she saw it.

[–] yosoylalinda1-631-452136 9 years ago

Wow, I hadn't thought of it like that. :-)

[–] Victoriavixen 9 years ago

Why did she call an ambulance for help if she intended to kill herself? I don't think April meant to die. She wanted to terminate her pregnancy because in her eyes, it was keeping them from starting their new life in Paris.

[–] IcingOnTheCake 9 years ago

Yes, she only planned to perform the home abortion. She called and checked on her children because what she was about to do to the third child. It's each woman's choice but not always an easy one.

[–] Gabe1972 8 years ago

That's the way I saw it. I don't think she intended to kill herself at all, though I'm sure she was aware that there was a small possibility it could happen.

I drank what?

[–] Hayley7 9 years ago

I agree
IMO it's all a bit of a 'screw you' to Frank

I think the whole thing of her playing the dutiful housewife that morning, is with the full intention of killing herself, and knowing he'll look back on it and know she knew then... that she had planned it already and was just acting the part that he wanted her to... so he would know the reason she was killing herself... because of him... she was stuck in this life because of him

And let's face it, she could've taken pills or something else, to take out herself and the baby... I think she chose the "abortion" thinking he would come home and find her dead with the foetus ripped from her... something he would never be able to unsee... and another clear message about why she was doing this... because of him... she was stuck with this baby because of him

I think she wanted to send the message loud and clear that HE had done this to her... he had ruined her life and was the reason she wasn't happy... and he had killed her

And then as she stands infront of the window and looks down to see the blood she is suddenly shocked a bit back into reality and goes to call the ambulance... although not with any real urgency... maybe she doesn't really care either way at this point, or is just too out of it

[–] Cinnamental 9 years ago

After she tearfully waved goodbye to him as he left for work, and tearfully called to tell her daughters goodbye? She intended to live? Are you dense?

[–] StakkaDakka 8 years ago

I think the truth is somewhere in between - she didn't want to die but she knew the dodgy thing she was about to do could have that unintended consequence

[–] Mishelly0505 (6) 2 years ago

This is an old post but I had to respond. Call the person dense? You’re in the wrong on this topic. She did not intend to kill herself. She was tearful because she was scared, terrified probably, knowing the risk. After she does it, she looks out the window and smiles a tiny bit but then her expression changes to fear as she feels the blood drip. Then she calls an ambulance.

[–] truetexian 9 years ago

(SPOILER)
No, she did not intend to kill herself. She did however understand the risks and that's why she called to check in on her children. In case something went wrong, she wanted to have been able to tell them one last time that she loved them. She started to convey that message to her friend who was babysitting them but decided that she might sound too melodramatic and thus foil her plans.
The motionless scene in front of the picture window in her living room was just cinematic drama, nothing else and certainly not a hint of suicidal intent.
Read the novel and this may become clearer to you.

[–] SCY385-1 8 years ago

April was a complex character. She was a woman who was ahead of her time in some ways. If she had been born just two decades later she might not have gotten married and had children at all. She did not like the mundane existence she found herself in. There are a lot of fantasies about romance, love, and marriage. Many people find it to be quite the opposite when they get into it and I think that's where April found herself. I don't think she meant to kill herself; She just didn't want to be tied down by another child. She already felt stifled by her current circumstances. Having one more child would have been awful for a woman who already felt weighed down.

[–] ndsopranorocker 8 years ago

My impression was that she planned to leave Frank that day. It was her intention to leave him and the kids for the life she desired. She was robotic at breakfast because she knew it was the last time she'd see him, and she didn't want him to know. The abortion, at least in my opinion, was done so she could start over without another child. I think the only reason she stared out the window was that she was going into shock, and couldn't see how bad it was until it was too late.