Plot Details: This opinion reveals major details about the movie's plot.

Note: This review is more for people who have seen the movie. It has lots of spoilers, and doesn't really go over the plot that much.

Alan Ball is brilliant, there's no two ways around it. With both AMERICAN BEAUTY and the more recent Six Feet Under, he has defined himself as the master at finding universal truth in the lives of dysfunctional families. In a simple suburban story, he teaches us more about life than most three-hour epics. When recently suffering from a fairly bad case of jetlag, I read his screenplay at about three in the morning. Here’s the link:

http://www.dailyscript.com/scripts/AmericanBeauty_final.html

Each character is masterfully crafted, unique to the world, and yet we are all familiar with them, making it much easier to empathize with almost all of them. We all know an Angela Hayes, the popular pretty girl who hangs out with uglier friends to boost her self confidence; the virgin who makes up sex stories and projects her insecurities on to other people. Or how about Col. Frank Fitts (Chris Cooper), who tries to overshadow his homosexuality with gay bashing and in-your-face masculinity? Ricky Fitts and Jane Burnham (Thora Birch) strike a beautiful romance as the two social outcasts who manage to find love and happiness in their isolation. I still have trouble identifying with Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening), an empty soul who tries to find wholeness in material comfort.

And, finally, the star of the show, good old Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), who is certainly the most endearing of the bunch. I think we are all Lester, or at least wish we were Lester, for he finally finds atonement in his family. I think we love him even more because, by the end of the movie, he understands and accepts his family: he lets his daughter go, he forgives his wife for her affair, and, after much preparation, he realizes that he doesn't actually want to have sex with his daughter's best friend.

After a brief prologue, AMERICAN BEAUTY opens with a camera whizzing over a picture-book suburban town. As we quickly learn, these white picket fences are merely a facade, this town is far from a fantasy. Most of the characters are empty, lost, and in denial. None of them, at least in the beginning, are true to themselves.

Now, this raises an interesting question. Was this opening shot just an interesting opening note, merely heightened because it is blatantly contradicted in later scenes? Or, is Alan Ball actually trying to say that this is normal American life? Nobody's perfect. Nobody's happy. The American Dream is actually a subterfuge. Kind of depressing, huh?

But that’s just the opening shot. I guarantee you'll be feeling better by the end. Because, even though Lester dies, I believe the movie to be optimistic. We begin with Lester Burnham, very much alive, a loser with a crappy job whose daily highlight involves jerking off in the shower. We end with Lester Burnham, no longer alive, but complete and happy, at peace. Which would you rather be? If you picked the former, you're probably more like Carolyn Burnham than Lester. That’s OK. You're not alone.

Besides its uplifting message, AMERICAN BEAUTY is also a movie that, if personified, would be described as "amiable". You can't help but love Lester, which is largely due to Kevin Spacey's wonderful performance. AMERICAN BEAUTY was one of the first movies in a long time to deservedly win the Best Actor Oscar. You just have to love this moment:


CAROLYN
Ah, whose car is that out front?

LESTER
Mine. 1970 Pontiac Firebird. The car I always wanted and now I have it. I rule!


Annette Bening certainly proves herself as a fine actress: I now hate her, and will always associate her with Carolyn Burnham. We see Chris Cooper before his Oscar fame, and other great performances include Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, and Mena Suvari, who is probably better known for crappy teen movies.

With everything said and done, all the Oscar hoopla over, AMERICAN BEAUTY still holds up as a modern classic. It is certainly a movie that will be remembered for years to come.

Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older