First time director Sam Mendes and first time
screenwriter Alan Ball combine forces to make
a really weird comedy. "American Beauty" is
full of transparently normal characters who
are actually destined for the looney farm.
There's a power gay couple who seem perfectly
content with who they are, but everybody else
here is still in some sort of denial.
At least Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is trying
to find himself. His defining moment comes
when he realizes that his wife, daughter and
boss all despise him, and what he really wants
to do is relive his teenage years. His
money-hungry wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) has
carried the role of a phony real estate
saleswoman into her personal life. His teenage
daughter Jane (Thora Birch) has rejected
everything except the peeping boy next door.
His serpentine boss wants to downsize him.
But things are looking up, because Lester
doesn't care. Nothing can get him worked up
anymore, except Jane's jailbait friend Angela
(Mena Suvari) who has vague ambitions of
becoming a worshipped fashion model.
As strange as life in the Burnham household
has become, things are only worse next door.
Ricky Fitts (Bentley) is a drug dealer who
spends his illicit income on video equipment.
He films everything with his portable cameras,
especially Jane. If his crew cut looks deceive,
this is on purpose, since he is trying to put
one over on his abusive Marine Corps father
(Chris Cooper). His autistic mother is played
by Allison Janney.
In the film's introduction, Lester tells us
that he will be dead within a year. The
weird comedy becomes a weird mystery, with
various characters developing motives to
bump Lester off. Death is a subject that
comes up several times, and is presented as
a beautiful, welcome escape from the madness
of life. Life is certainly mad for the lead
characters, whose confused dreams and ambitions
when fulfilled only get them into further
difficulty. (67/100)
AMERICAN BEAUTY tells the story of Lester Burnham Kevin Spacey a suburban father who snaps when he becomes disgusted with his stale repetitive existen...More at Family Video
Marking the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theater director Sam Mendes (The Blue Room, Cabaret), this funny, moving and shocking jour...More at Buy.com
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