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AMERICAN BEAUTY review
The world we live in is filled with cynicism and hate.
So many that believe in nothing. People that are
moving forward each day of their life without so
much as a progressive step.
They spend their day in the mine, chipping away at
the wall, not hoping to find gold, not looking for a
diamond... Just hoping that by swinging that pickax
they can pull down enough to pay the rent, take care
of medical and sock away enough for the future...
whatever that may be.
Have you made plans for retirement?
You don’t want to be doing whatever it is you are
doing for the rest of your life... right? Well, make
sure you invest in a wise plan to make the most out of
your twilight years.
Ugh.
The practicality of living life. The pickax may be a
pen, a keyboard or a telephone, but everyday we lift it
up, swing it back down, and file out only to return the
next day.
I go out a lot. Frequent favorite restaurants. And
often times I see families eating, couple eating. And
they do not speak. They spent an entire day and came
away with nothing to really talk about.
“Hey did you hear Warren Beatty may run for
President?”
“Oh really?”
“Oh yes.”
Eat eat eat. The brief outbursts are about other
people, the tedium of work or how tired one may be.
I often wonder about these people. Does the
dysfunction stop just at the restaurant, or do they take
it home with them. Do they enter the house, wear paper
thin veiled smiles and snuggle only with their pillows.
Is there no romance or passion? What happened to
living life? And does this happen to everyone?
So many are so unhappy doing whatever it is that they
are doing.
What got me thinking about these things?
Quite simply a remarkably brilliant film called
AMERICAN BEAUTY.
I don’t expect many will see it. It’s not the type of
film that becomes number one at the box office. It’s
not a real water cooler movie. But it’s easily one of
the best films of the year.
Moriarty and I were out combing the beach for babes.
You see, the dear professor has this fetish for having
his gray hairs plucked by nubile g-stringed gangly
legged dwarves... A weird fetish, I know, but evil
geniuses are eccentric you know.
Well, while driving Ocean in Santa Monica, I spotted
a seven foot tall Walrus handing out flyers of some
sort to rollerskaters along the beach.
Now, coming from Austin, the sight of a 7 ft Walrus
handing out flyers piques my interest something
fierce. I signal the old man to pull over, and I get out
to approach the Walrus.
“How do you do Mr Walrus?” I say cheerfully.
“A Har Har Har my friend A Har Har Har. You want
to see AMERICAN BEAUTY?”
Well... When a Walrus invites you to see a movie,
you do what the Walrus asks, cause I’ve seen what
angry Walruses can do... Just ask Patrick Wayne.
When I stepped back into Moriarty’s Stanley
Steamer, I noticed this peculiar bald spot in his
goatee, I turned and caught out of the corner of my
eye, a group of 3 gangly legged dwarves running off
with a handful of Moriarty’s salt-colored hairs.
Strange fellow he is.
Now I didn’t know much about this AMERICAN
BEAUTY movie. Didn’t know much at all.
I had retained the knowledge that it was a Kevin
Spacey film, but that was about it. I had written a
piece about how you folks could score free tickets to
the movie if you lived in one of about 50 towns, and
ya know... I’m proud as can be that I pointed those of
you that are scoring tickets to this movie, to this
movie.
You see, this is one of those impossible films to
market. You have a film that if you were to boil it
down to the basic plot elements would be about a
middle age man wanting to fuck a high school
cheerleader, a film that has a pot-dealing teen as a
hero, a film about dissatisfaction with normalcy. A
film with severe gay bashing. And sort of encourages
teen runaways.
Not something you can really sell. But then, those are
just the surface levels of this incredibly complex story
that really... at it’s core... is about the beauty of life
around us.
Through all the ugly places it takes us, we come back
to something beautiful.... living your life.
At the start of this film every character is simply
going about the motions of life.
Go to work, go to school, start supper, eat supper,
watch television and go to sleep. Everyone is bored
with their lives and is asleep... but slowly they each
begin to wake up. Open their eyes, and see the
simple beauty of living their lives.
Now... it’s not a feel good film strange enough. It
isn’t a movie that makes you comfortable. Instead,
it’s a movie that right up front has Kevin Spacey
telling you that this is his town where he lived his
miserable little life, and that’s the miserable little
street he lived on, and this is the last year of his life.
Point blank they tell you LESTER IS GOING TO
DIE.
Lester is going to die in this film. And at the
beginning of this movie, ya know... That might not be
a bad thing. But over the length of this movie his
character wakes up, becomes alive. Thrilled with
living, high on life and many other things. But... we
know he’s going to die. He told us so... at the very
start of the film.
It’s not a spoiler. It is the initial plug of the film.
You know this fact 3 minutes in. It would sort of be
like telling you that Glenn Close is in a coma in
Reversal of Fortune.
As a result, the entire time you see this soul reborn,
you know it is in it’s twilight hours of existence. It’s
the classic suspense device that Alfred Hitchcock
illustrated with two people sitting at a picnic table.
We can see the bomb ticking away underneath the
table, but they don’t know. They talk, they laugh,
they live not knowing death awaits them... just under
the table.
As a result the movie is a strong force for expressing
just how dear and precious life is. How we have to
make the most out of it. That we shouldn’t hold back
just for the ‘twilight’ years and play it safe. Today
might be the last day of your life. Find something
you love to do. If you can afford it, get that thing
you’ve always wanted. Make love with the person
you love. Don’t drone on another day.
In a way this is a look at the exact same issues of
BRAZIL. There was a girl, a dream girl... An ideal,
something that one wants. And as an excuse he uses
her to break out of the doldrum like existence he had pigeon-holed himself into.
In a way you can draw parallels to Bill Murray’s
character in RUSHMORE or Matthew Broderick in
ELECTION... but... Watching what Kevin Spacey
does in the role... well.. Remember when you thought
masturbation was just the best thing in the world?
Remember when you had your first bout of good sex?
Well... for me, Murray and Broderick are the
clenched fist, and Kevin Spacey is the best piece of
ass in town. His character of Lester is quite simply a
work of brilliance. And this is easily the best
performance I’ve seen thus far this year.
However, Kevin Spacey is not the only fantastic
performance in this movie. Annette Bening is... Well,
this is my favorite character I’ve seen her play thus
far. Her Caroline is a modern empowered woman,
and her portrayal is... scary. She has become the
property of her possessions and the slave of her own
expectations. There is an utterly heartbreaking scene
between her and Spacey towards the end on a sofa
that... Well, it’s the saddest look at a dysfunctional
marriage I think I have ever seen. Then her day
trying to sell a house... Well, the frustration and
aggravation. The continual self-affirmation. The way
she psyches herself up. Her breakdown. This
character is so completely realized and different from
anything I’ve seen Annette do that I was heartbroken
by what had become of what we know was a once
vibrant and living woman.
Their daughter played by Thora Birch... Well, she
is... and I know I sound redundant, but this really is a
great movie... wonderful in a role that reminded me
of the best work I’ve seen from Christina Ricci. I’m
used to her being Harrison Ford’s cute little daughter.
When the heck did she grow up, God I guess I’m
getting a bit older. She’s disillusioned, continually
brow-beaten and has the self-esteem of a potato under
the sink. She feels ugly and awkward. She has
reached that point where she needs someone to see
her as being beautiful because...
Her friend, Mena Suvari... you remember the girl
from AMERICAN PIE that was in Choir... who plays
the oh so cute and beautiful cheerleader that lights up
and ignites Kevin Spacey to live again. This is one of
the most frightening portraits of a young girl that has
completely fooled herself into a psychotic state of
self-importance. Her own importance is measured by
her desirability to others. If others want to fuck her...
well that means she’s beautiful. And of course there
is nothing worse than being plain.
My god it’s a sad statement. But wait... there are
other great characters.
The best, yet sickest, father / son relationship I’ve
seen in film in a good long while exists between Chris
Cooper and Wes Bentley. Chris Cooper plays a
retired military Colonel that is intolerant of any and
all other lifestyles. He wants his son to be a manly
man... Willing to fight back and kick ass. He simply
is not built for raising a son. He can’t accept
anything other than a younger version of himself...
and Wes is not that. He’s an artist, an aspiring
filmmaker. He’s looking and searching for the beauty
in life. Someone that studies life, be it through a
window or along a sidewalk. In a back alley or atop a
tree. He searches for beauty in the places people
avoid. I love his character, a survivor. A person who
simply exists and fights to survive. There is an
exchange in the car between his father and him,
where his father tells him not to pander to him like he
does to his mother... and folks. If his response
doesn’t just impress the hell out of you. Well...
Damn I’m sorry I recommended the movie to you, but
folks I was blown away.
This movie has all the power of a great personal film,
yet the ironic humor of the best black comedies. The
film walks a tightrope high above the tent floor
without so much as a net to catch the stars if they fall.
Noone falls. The movie is as solid as they come.
If what you seek in a film is great performances,
complex characters, and a plotline that does not do
what you think or want it to do... then this is a film up
your alley.
Sam Mendes should be watched like a hawk. The
idea that this is a first film is scary. Sure he has a
background in theater, but this film is so boldly visual
and cinematic as well as being personal and crafted
that I was left gasping at some of the work I saw.
Also, the screenwriter Alan Ball should be followed.
This is a tight as hell, complex character driven film
that is not in any way typical or redundant. This is
the sort of filmmaking I wanted to see come from
DREAMWORKS. Unique personal visions given
life. It’s the dream I had when they announced the
formation of the company, and this is the first film
I’ve seen them deliver that completely lives up to
what I think a lot of people wanted to see come out of
that company.
The word is Steven outbid 3 independents to get this
script... Well done. Let’s see more of this sort of
work come from DreamWorks. Personal Visions
given the ability to flourish...
Let’s hope this isn’t the rare one that slips through the
cracks, but is rather the start of a trend of filmmaking
from them.
Go see this movie... There is not a single weak
performance or link. It’s beautiful.
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This is off the subject, but Harry, i liked your quotes in the LA Times today about the IRON GIANT, i only wish that you had mentioned those ideas to WB before they Released the film.
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I sure hope my free tickets hurry up and come in the mail. From what i heard this movie is going to be GREAT! Kevin Spacey..looks like you're going to get another oscar!
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You pour praise all over Spacey's performance saying how it could be the performance of the year. But I want to know how does it compare to Spacey's incredible resume of outstanding performances! Seven, ..Sharks, ..Suspects, LA Confidential, more that have escaped me momentarily, all unforgettable exhibitions of great acting. Is American Beauty in the same league, or just a good Spacey performance, or is it the pinnacle so far???? I wanna know, cause I can't wait 6 months (or so) before I can see this. IMHO Spacey's finest turn was as John Doe in Seven. Didn't you just fear and hate him??!
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Awesome review!! I'm all over it! (I'm 1st!)
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I meant 4th. Weird. I'm eagerly anticipating my free tickets as well.
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I agree Spacey was superb in Seven. He was also great in Glengarry Glen Ross and The Usual Suspects (of course). As a brief aside, I always wondered about his method in that Oscar performance. When Spacey was playing Verbal/Keyser, was he almost always taking a direct path to being Verbal in his mind, or did he more often than you might expect think of himself as being Keyser pretending to be Verbal? Anyway, my favorite Spacey moment was in L.A. Confidential (warning - spoilers ahead). When asked why he became a cop, Vincennes says something like, "I don't remember." It seems ludicrous, but it's such a powerful line. I think the emotional tie that line generated for me was the cause of my heart's skipping a beat the first time I saw Vincennes killed.
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"Sure he has a background in theatre..." Harry, please keep in mind that most great actors, even Kevin Spacey, started out with a background in theatre. Why should great directors be any different? I believe that Mike Nichols started in the theatre as well. Talent is talent whether one scrapped throught film school first or not. While I'm waiting in anticipatory delight for my American Beauty tickets to arrive in the mail, I'm also very sad that I never saw his production of The Blue Room on Broadway.
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For those of us who know of (and have been lucky enough to study there) a little acting school called American Conservatroy Theater in San Francisco, we know of the power and potential of Annette. She's is one a of many performers to come out of the Bay area. (Micheal McShane of the Brits (much better) version of "Whose Line is it Anyway" and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and of course the BEASTMASTER Marc Singer or "V" depending on your age).
As for Spacey..for those of us in Chicago...we knew these little secrets. Can't wait to see it, and see some good old fashioned filmaking driven by powerful peformances( Long Days Journey into Night for example) in this fast food film world we live in.
Cheers -
I havent. Props to Dreamworks for releasing a film like American Beauty wide. For films like this it depends on award recognition and word of mouth to make a solid profit, and most studios dont even bother.
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Good review. But please, no more masturbation-based metaphors (more information than I needed).
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My free tickets have not arrived either.
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Three cheers for Spielberg for putting his money where his mouth is, and allowing Sam Mendes to make the movie he wanted to make with the crew and actors he wanted to have! I wish them them best of luck.
Perhaps this film, and Spielberg's courage will help send the film industry into a new experimental age of cinema like we enjoyed so much in the '70s when unusual actors like Nicholson, Pacino, Hoffman, and DeNiro ruled. Spacey is in their league, and deserves the fine opportunities that they had to share his work.
As for the film itself, I think it sounds like it may have as much a profound effect on how I tackle my life as "The Iceman Cometh" did. That's the kind of stuff art can do when it is allowed to exist in it's most pure and honest state.
God bless these mavericks! -
...Masturbation still is the best thing in the world!!!!
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With Election, Iron Giant, Stir of Echoes, Sixth Sense and American Beauty... Well, that's about thirty bucks right there, isn't it? Harry, how am I going to pay for all of these movie tickets? I have to go to high school too, for God's sake. Tell the studios to start making bombs again ("The 7th Warrior" or whatever it's called might fit the bill).
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Well, I tried to get Harry to post up some new info concerning the script stages of MR. I think it's important that everyone know exactly who the credit of MR belongs to. Please, help the screenwriter out and go to my site to read more about it. Thanks!
http://minorityreport.8m.com -
Well, if you haven't seen the trailer, it's great. So far I've seen it twice (in front of 'The Sixth Sense' and 'Bowfinger') From reading Harry's review, it seems like they convey the same emotion. Everyone I talked to said they wanted to see this film from seeing the trailer, so who knows, this could be a huge film...
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Screw you Harry,
Now let me qualify that. I love this site and I really appreciate what you have done for all us film fans.
But my God how arrogant can you be. I'm trying not to make assumptions, but somehow I don't think you have a 9 to 5 job. And somewhere along the line someone else has allowed you to live off their dollar whilst you typed away and created this site. I DON"T HAVE THAT. So, I have to leave my wife and my new child and chip, chip away at that damn wall you spoke of. It's so fucking easy for someone who doesn't have to bust ass to make a living to look down in arrogance on those who do.
Yes I'm trying to do something about it. I'm an animation student about to finally graduate. But, I did all that on my own as well. Piled up the school debt sky high. And we all know that if you are interested in making film, your career could turn out to be just a big fat pipe dream.
I guess what pissed me off was the fact that you assume that those who have to work all day have no passion in their lives. That's a load of crock. And you might have known that if you ever would have had to work.
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Me and the girls are still waiting
for our tickets,(Thanks again Harry!)we need our Spacey fix now!
I hope all the critics embrace this film, like they did with "L.A. Confidential", because the
American people will not.
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But the screening isn't until September 2nd. I'm all excited to see this and now I have to wait almost two weeks! Life can be cruel.
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Thanks for ruining the end of the movie without putting up a spoiler warning first. I realize that the movie itself may warn us that LESTER IS GOING TO DIE, but even so, a naive moviegoer like myself might not have believed it until actually seeing the ending for myself. Or I may have hoped that the character would have a change of heart throughout the film. But now that I know for sure, the ending will have lost most of it's emotional impact for me, and I'm sure for others too. Thanks alot.
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Harry, I'm pretty sure you've seen this flick but if not man it's right up your alley. The flick is 'Happiness' by Todd Solondz. From your review it sounds very similar to this movie. Thought I'd mention it just in case. Your reviews are still the best dude! Peace on y'all!
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I saw the trailer for this for the first time today and cannot get it out of my head. This movie looks fucking awesome! I saw The Blue Room and thought it was great. Harry I wish you hadn't have told us that Spacey dies even if we do find out 3 minutes in. I'd still rather not know...you're usually good about that.
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While at the movies the other night, I saw a poster promoting AMERICAN BEAUTY. It was one those things that looked like a bunch of critic's quotes but not really.
Anyway, the thing that struck me most about it, was a particular quote stating that when Ms. Benning saw a private screening of the film she cried. When asked why she cried she said she felt extemely fortunate and proud to be part of such of a production. Not exact, but something along those lines.
Thanks for the review, Harry. It's such a rare thing to have all the necessary things go right for a good movie to happen. I'm excited to see this one.
FYI...this is my first hit to this site. And my first post. Heh, please excuse my ignorance to the juggernaut that is, AICN. -
Went to see Mickey Blue Eyes last night(The Freshman with a British accent) and i had the most entrtainment the 15 minutes before the movie!There were trailers for the storey of us, magnolia, and american beauty. they were all great but the one for A.B. was one of those trailers where the music and cuts were just so good it ended with getting those chills down your back in anticipation.they even showed parts of the scene harry was talking about with the young girl and rose petals....breathtaking
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I also saw the trailer for this, but it was a while back in front of the Blair Witch Project. I think Kevin Spacey is a great actor, but where are my free tickets? I'm about to keel over with anticipation!
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JOIN THE BOYCOTT! DO 'NOT' WATCH THE NEW MOVIE "BROKEDOWN PALACE'S" STARRING THE "PERSONA NON GRATA" herself, "CLAIRE DANES"
[Celebrities are saying they will 'not' go see the Claire Danes' new movie, Brokedown Palace's. Bruce Willis, Oprah, Denzel Washington, Rosie O'Donnel are just the few celebrities who publicly declared that they'll join the boycott. "I can only hope she chokes on it." said Oprah, talking about Ms.
Claire Danes' acerbic tongue] --People's Magazine
["Claire Danes might want to take a few public speaking classes next
semester at Yale." said Hollywood producer Glenn Klein. The 20-year-old actress turned freshman is being sharply criticized for comments she made
about Manila, Philippines where she filmed her current movie Brokedown Palace.]--CNN Showbiz
[The city council of Manila voted 3 weeks ago to ban all movies featuring Claire Danes because the actress dissed the Philippine city in the current issue of Premiere Magazine. "She is declared persona non grata," councilor Kim Atienza tells the Associated Press.
At Magazine issue is Danes' public recollection of the months she spent in Manila earlier this year while shooting scenes for Brokedown Palace in a dilapidated mental hospital. The city "just f--king smelled of cockroaches,"
she told Premiere Magazine. "There's no sewage system in Manila, and people have nothing there. People with, like, no arms, no legs, no eyes, no teeth.. Rats were everywhere."
This wasn't the first time Danes had spoken out against Manila; in the April issue of Vogue Magazine she described it as "a ghastly and weird city." But this time, Atienza and his colleagues had had enough.]--Newsweek Magazine
[Philippine President Joseph Estrada, a former movie star, said he believes Hollywood actress Claire Danes should be banned from entering the Philippines for having disparaged the country's capital. "She should not be
allowed to come here. She should not even be allowed to set foot here," Estrada said Thursday in reaction to a decision by Manila's city council Tuesday to declare Miss Danes "persona non-grata" and ban all her movies from being shown in the city.] --Manila Bulletin
["She deserved to be banned" said Tom Hanks "Those are irresponsible, bigoted and sweeping statements Claire Danes made."] on an interview in
Entertainment Tonight
[Claire Danes' reported comments have also been widely debated in newspaper columns and editorial pages, with some newspapers castigating the actress
including New York Times and the Washington Post.] on CNN Showbiz show by reporter Shiela Schultz
["Her remarks were uncalled for." Lisa Kudrow said] MTV 1515 News
[Claire Danes were known as an actress with a bad attitude. "She(Claire Danes) seems to be a very rude actress especially towards the movie set crew
staff and her make-up artist"] explained "Romeo & Juliet" Assistant Director Richard Meyers
In a statement released last week, the actress attempted to clarify her position. "Because of the subject matter of our film Brokedown Palace, the cast was exposed to the darker and more impoverished places of Manila. My
comments in Premiere Magazine only reflect those locations, not my attitude towards the Filipino people. They were nothing but warm, friendly, and supportive."
But nobody seems to be accepting Claire Danes' apology. Atienza dismissed the statement as an "excuse made by Danes' Hollywood agents and not a genuine apology."
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Harry: I wrote in several times with news and updates about "American Beauty" including early reads of the first drafts, but you never acknowledged the reports. If you had been paying attention during class you'd have known a lot more about this movie a lot sooner!
Cheers! -
I read the two or three offerings written by you that Harry did post. You had some interesting information, but both times you seemed to make rather personal remarks about Kevin Spacey; first questioning his ability to play the character of Lester, and then questioning his sexuality, which has absolutely NOTHING to do with his work as an artist. Perhaps that made Harry question you as a reliable source. We want information about films, not an issue of The National Enquirer.
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This is one of the very best black comedys of the year. Similar to Happiness,Election, and Rushmore for its honesty, social commentary and sophisticated humor but far superior (even though all those films are fantastic). Every frame of the film was charged with magic. Terrific performances and casting (Great actors just kept appearing)
This film is like a one of those fine meals where every dish just keeps getting better.
My screening audience broke out in appause 5 times during the film. To paraphrase Kevin Spacey his performace "RULES!" -
totally agree with ya on that great review. after the screening last night (here in NYC) my friends and i just sat there in silence. in awe. amazing film. definitely will see me there at next showing!
go here to get signed up for more tickets to the movie
ttp://www.americanbeauty-thefilm.com/form.html -
Sep 08, 1999 3:59:06 AM CDT
American Beauty may be the most important film since Raging Bull
by nordling
Saw this last night. What a fucking great movie. The performances are top notch, especially by Spacey and Chris Cooper. The scene between them in the garage made me gasp. And this is easily the best screenplay in many, many years. These characters, between all of them, say something about the real American Life...what happens when we are alone, with the lives we built for ourselves, the American values of more, more, more, and how destructive we are to each other, just to be heard. A beautiful movie. I don't know much, but if the Academy doesn't give this the Best Original Screenplay Oscar I'll know for a fact that they're a bunch of corporate whores. Thanks for the passes, Harry.
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No, not this one. For a really cool review of this film, check out www.cinemayhem.com It's a new site, but I'm impressed already. Oh, and does anyone know how I can change my e-mail address on this talk back? I leave work in a week, so my address will no longer work from then. www.cinemayhem.com
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My friend pointed this out to me yesterday about American Beauty, and if you haven't seen it yet, PLEASE READ NO FURTHER. I'M BEGGING YOU. Thanks. My friend said to me that after the movie ends, Janey (Kevin Spacey's daughter) and Chris Cooper's son(can't remember his name right now) probably got charged with murder. Think about it. His son had access to the gun shelf. The video they made. The $40,000. No fingerprints. The two running away from home. The embarrassment of Chris Cooper (who would keep his silence) and Janey's friend (who would say anything to deflect attention from her and at the same time give her more exposure). The son's background and mental institution stays. A cool way to promote this would be to have the press ads have mock newspaper headlines - "Teen's boyfriend shoots her father", "Boyfriend was an obsessed video nut", "Father says son guilty", "Video released from police gives confession", and then, at the bottom of the ad, the film's tagline, "Look closer", American Beauty, and the rating. That'd be an interesting ad campaign, to say the least. SPOILER ENDS. DO NOT READ ABOVE IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN AMERICAN BEAUTY. What a great film, and Spielberg and Dreamworks should be proud.
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I think that if you look at an earlier script review of this movie on this site, there was a subplot about how the two teens were charged with murder. That plot was scrapped because (atleast in my opinion) it wasn't necessary. The movie is not about how he died or who shot him. It's about Kevin Spacey waking up to realize the beauty that surrounds in his seemingly nonexistent life hence the title American Beauty. Anyway, I dont think that the teens could be charged because their fingerprints were not on the gun itself. And Wes Bently is not stupid to keep the tape on him. He would probably hide the money and burn the tapes right away so all false evidence is destroyed. Also, I think that you are mistaken by the character of Mena Suvari. I don't think that she is the same selfish girl that she was before. The fight with Thora Birch opened her eyes and then Kevin Spacey made her feel good about who she really is, not the face behind the mask.
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In my last sentence above, I meant that Mena Suvari became normal, she became the face behind her mask.
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The movie itself is brilliant, but I can guarantee you that it won't do well at the box office. This movie will unnerve people. A promotion like the one I mentioned would at least draw the curious, expecting to see some sort of weird murder mystery and instead getting a true slice of American Family life. Saw it again last night, by the way. For some reason, the passes kept rolling in. That's cool, though. I loved this movie.
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IMO, this IS Spacey's best performance ever, on film anyway... I feel that he and actor Wes Bentley (plays the neighbor kid who films everything) contribute the most to AMERICAN BEAUTY. Spacey fans will really enjoy this movie, he is absolutely perfect. After seeing him in this role I have been unable to bring to mind a single American actor whose talent impresses me more completely. My only gripe about performance would concern Bening, who I found to be just a notch over-the-top.
Anyway, the classification of this movie as a black comedy certainly doesn't surprise me, it's got a lot of stuff that might be considered 'dark', (voyeurism, drug use, familial and sexual dysfunction, a pedophile, masturbation, suburbia) but all the while you're laughing your ass off... The thing is, there really is a lot more to AMERICAN BEAUTY than what 'black comedy' would imply. It's inspiring and, if not beautiful, full of truth. It's unnerving, but still hopeful even when bleak. A great movie, go see. -
Just got back from a Houston showing of AB... Wow... This movie rocked in so many ways.. the acting, the direction, the cinematography, the music, the screenplay... all Oscar worthy without a doubt. Spacey - is there a better film actor on the planet right now than Kevin Spacey? I don't think so. I think some of the subject matter will offend enough people so that this won't be a blockbuster, but that's their loss. This is hands-down the best movie of the year. I know there are some good ones yet to come, but hard to see how AB could be surpassed. Harry, I think your "Green Mile" prediction is in serious danger. But anyway thanks for the pointer to the site with the free passes!!
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Thanks a lot Harry for pointing me in the direction of this great film. I hadn't seen any previews on it, so I went in knowing nothing, and came out very, very impressed. Your review hit the nail on the head. This and Twin Falls Idaho are two of the best films I've seen in awhile!
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haha, just kidding ;-)
This is one of the best films I've seen all year. _Every_ performance was top-notch. David Lynch meets Stanley Kubrick meets Leave It To Beaver. The movie is like a great book when you've snuck a look at the last page and wonder how the story is going to get there and when you reach the end, the last page has been torn out. Wow! Intense is an understatement. Did anyone else catch the "Look Closer" pinned on Lester's office wall?
I wanna see Fight Club now damnit!!!
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amazing direction, amazing writing, amazing preformances. I was blown away by the wit and depth of emotion this film portrays. i read somewhere that the director, being a british stage director, was twice removed from American film making. well, he nailed this one. good show, old chum.
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Hey Harry, Scored tickets from your site. Saw the film last night in Virginia Beach, VA. Incredible movie. It was more than an incredible movie...it was more like a poem. An illustrated beautiful poem. This is what making movies is supposed to be all about. It is supposed to be art, it is supposed to make you think, it is supposed to wake you up, and it is supposed to entertain you. This movie does all of that. I can't wait for it to open nationwide so I can see it again. I think it's the best movie to come out this year.
Thanks for the tix -
Ahem(Just clearing the throat)..."if ya think this movie a MASTERPEICE,than ya seriouly lacking in the knowledge of what makes good drama". Hmmm. As usual, Sarin, you not only have a shining nugget of infallible wisdom to share with us, but you use...well...what can I say? Your grammar and spelling are truly astounding. Thank you Sarin, just for being you.
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"I don
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This movie is quickly becoming the latest over-hype. Spacy gives the same performance he always does and there's simply no reason to care about his character before his "transformation" or after (why should we cheer him on while he sits around, gets high, lifts weights and works at a fast food joint? That's an improvement?). And Annette Benning is too over the top to be affecting. The rose thing wears thin way before we've seen the last of it. That sort of "penetrating symbolism" is achingly heavy-handed and exactly the mark of a first-time director who thinks he's re-inventing the wheel.
The Blue Room sucked, by the way. The direction was just as ham-fisted as it is here. -
There was mention on this message board that implied that czech films and russian films etc. are the only films that are any good. I am as big a fan of foreign films as well, but i still love american movies! The hollywood system isn't perfect, but neither are foreign films. You only hear about the GOOD foreign films, but for the most part they put out their fair share of CRAP too. I enjoyed such movies as "City of the Lost Children", "The Commitments", "Like Water For Chocolate", "Shallow Grave", "Trainspotting", "The Full Monty" and many, many more, but for every AWESOME foreign film I can think of I can think of about a dozen AWESOME american films. Even if Hollywood puts out only one classic movie a year, then the system works. That's not even considering the independents right here in the US. American Beauty was a great film, by any measure.
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I love Cassavetes and will always think the guy was one of the greatest filmmakers in American history, certainly because of his exhaustive character work, something he brought in from the theater. All throughout "American Beauty," so many shots and ideas reminded me of Cassavetes (John, not Nick, in case you had any doubts).
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Sep 24, 1999 11:38:41 AM CDT
It claims it's Godzilla, but it's really Godzuki (From Mr. Eon,
by yodabutter2000
Surprisingly not as groundbreaking and original as almost everyone is saying. If you never really thought about the themes explored in the movie, it'll probably open your eyes and surprise you blah blah blah. But I think most youngish people of our time are cynical enough that everything in the movie is already realized. It's already unconscious knowledge.
I had high hopes for the movie. I thought it might have new insights to share wtih us about contemporary American life. But, as it is, it's just a well made, above average movie. It's more than enough to shock the old and staid population who are actually living life like American Beauty. But to the younger generations who have been raised by parents acting this way, all the observations of the movie are quite old and stale. Still a good movie, though. Just not as good as you're being led to believe. -
to sarin rufus:
What bug is up your ass, man? You make the most illogical, caustic comments. Methinks perhaps you know this Mendes and are jealous of the man-- because American Beauty is an american masterpiece. Here's hoping The Hurricane is, too.
to nordling:
brilliant marketing campaign. In fact, when you mentioned these elements, I "remembered" them from the film. The film itself was so brilliant and mesmerizing, that I had become caught up in its other elements. But now I think about all those plot threads left dangling and wish they had done something to clean them up. Beginning the film with the framing device they way they did, and then returning to it later, does call attention to the set-up of the kids' "plot" and then never pays it off or even addresses it. Strange that they would let this stay in the film this way. -
I got the tickets and loved the film. You have a taste for sci fi blockbusters which I rarely share, but I keep coming back to this site because you recommend films like this. Presumably that guy who slagged you off for not having a 9 to 5 job chose to get married and have a child. Sad that he's bitter about his choices. Glad you're happy about yours.
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ManRay echoed my thoughts as if he'd read my mind following the screening. Is it better than most everything else playing? Yeah. But that doesn't make it great. For a more realistic, subtle, less ridiculously over-the-top experience rent the Ice Storm again. Threes Company-style misunderstandings played for both comedic and dramatic affect in the film's last half hour, blow any kind of real credibility the movie had. If you really find yourself CARING about any of these characters you must not have seen any of the "dysfunctional family" or "misunderstood teen movies" that I've been choking on since the late 70s. There's nothing exceptionally fresh here. Kevin Spacey has been vamping the same schtick (fun as it is to watch) since The Ref. He HAS range and needs to start picking roles that showcase it. Worth a look- but lets not start passing out Oscars yet. Very entertaining but about as deep as a puddle. (Aldalin- did you see American Beauty in Cleveland? I had a similar audience-hell experience last night.)
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I liked this film alot, i somehow related very much to the portrayal of this totally screwed up family. The film is doing very well so far in theatres.
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First of all--Wato,
i understand why you were upset, but i hope you realize that harry is not attacking you or ANYONE with a 9-5 job. he is lamenting how it can suck the life out of people. my own job has shown me this. i see people who are shells, that have given up living and try desperately to make work important. This movie came at a time when i was comtemplating all these things, and i empathized with all the characters. so please realize that harry's comments are on your side.
Everyone else--THIS MOVIE IS AMAZING!!!
it's the type of movie that leaves you up all night and well into the next day, still reeling from the secrets it showed you. and harry is right--knowing the end at the begining is an impressive thing to pull off, because even though we KNOW what will happen, it is still a shock when it occurs. (and stop whining about harry spoiling it for you--if you haven't seen it, you really don't understand that he hasn't ruined anything, crybabies) this movie put onto film emotions that i thought were inexpressible. passion, spontenaity, inevitablity, LOVE-both wild and pure, and painfully smoldering-, hate, joy, frustration, loss, and birth are TANGIBLE in this film. this movie is a masterpeice. i am amazed. -
Be cautioned, i didnt give this a whole lot of thought, just off the top of my head. 10. Swingers
9. Pleasentville 8. Schindlers List 7. The Piano 6. The English Patient 5. The Ice Storm 4. Fargo 3.L.A. Confidential 2. JFK
1. Goodfellas. Now i'm sure if i really thought hard i could replace a few here and there. But remember this is just the nineties. If i were to do an all time list, they'd most likely all be from the 70's, such as Taxi Driver, Godfather, Days of Heaven, The Deer Hunter, Raing Bull(1980), Badlands, A clockwork orange,etc...just to name a few. Now as far as American Beauty goes, i have a feeling i'm going to fall in love with it. I love movies where i become very emotionally involved. Believe it or not i love to cry at a film or leave touched any which way. Thats when i know a movie is special. Kevin Spacey is terrific, one of my favorites. So the anticipation heightens....along with many others, Fight Club, MR. Ripley, Man on the Moon(Milos Forman is wonderful), Sleepy Hollow, Magnolia....etc. But American Beauty will be the one for me, its a movie i cant resist to already love even though i havent seen it yet. -
Sep 24, 1999 6:24:56 PM CDT
: ) kkrankk says: Don't forget to watch John Kricfalusi's first
by kkrankk
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A agree that is is possibly the best film of the year, but look at the female characters. A major element of the movie is liberation. Spacey's character liberates himself. Ricky liberates himself. Cooper's character liberates himself. On the other hand Birch's character is liberated with the help of Ricky. Benning's character is liberated with the help of Gallagher's character. The women need the men to help them, and the men help themselves. In addition, Benning's character cheats on Spacey's, whereas he doesn't actually go through with it. Hopefully this is just further comment on American society, but even as a male I definitely noticed it.
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saw american beauty about 4 hours ago. this movie will stay with me for some time. sign of a great medium. so much of this movie was about numbness, inner death (fight club) and later awakening, liberation as someone else pointed out. exactly. even to the cynical talk back individual who related this "cynical" life is not new, its portrayed with amazing depth. there is a great line in the movie about denial. last weeks newsweek lamented about the state of today's american male and loss of place in society. see this movie to understand a microcosm of why. and how to awake. give the oscar to spacey now. SPOILER ALERT-
reflect on what bening's character was going to do when she arrived home, look at how the illusion of life is not what it seems, "look closer".
as a "generation x-er", and more importantly, as one who questions the value of individual "worth" in our society at this moment, this movie moved me. what a medium to do that-i have renewed faith in movies and will never look at a blowing bag the same. -
Harry! Usually I go to this site because I know that the reviews are going to be spoiler free. You gave away the best part of American Beauty. Thank god I had seen it before I read your review, which was a bit pretentious by the way (not everyone in the working world is a unfulfilled shmuch). Anyway, just having seen the film this afternoon, I can't remember being told in the first three minutes that Kevin Spacey was going to die. Now everyone who goes to see the film will just be waiting for that moment and not enjoying the journey he goes through with him. Stop being so over zealous!
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Well I went to check this out last night and it was one of the most inspring, moving films I've seen in years. It really hit home for me in many ways. I'm an Animation student also interested in working in film and it just reminded me again why I love the art form. Thanks for pushing this film like you have Mr. Knowles, as I'm sad to say that I probably wouldn't have gone to see this if you hadn't. Another reason why I love this site... and all the losers who bitch about the site should just go lick some donkey balls. AICN is an awesome resource for true film fans. Now I'm getting my parents to go see it with me, their reactions should be interesting... And in case Mena and/or Thora read this, you should be very proud of your great work in AB... Both of you are incredibly beautiful and talented actresses with bright futures ahead of you... (Also to everyone else involved, Spacey, Benning, etc but I doubt they read this)
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Saw American Beauty tonight, I think it is the best movie I've seen this year. Someone earlier in talkback asked if we were supposed to be "cheering spacey on" when he quits his job, smokes, etc. NO. What he does to himself and his family isn't right. But it is necessary in order for him to come to an understanding about his life: realizing that he isn't ordinary, and he does have what he needs to be happy around him (i.e. his family, his memories). The scene where he looks at the picture of his family is the most amazing, true thing i've seen in a movie in a while. Lester finally gets it, and Spacey's acting is so subtle yet so telling.
Anyway, thanks Harry for pointing me to this movie. -
I freely admit that it's hard for me to conceive of a movie featuring Kevin Spacey in a prominent role that I wouldn't enjoy (Jesus Christ Superstar remake, perhaps?). It's also pretty hard to conceive of not liking a movie that features two families as amusingly dysfunctional as those in American Beauty. Lastly, I just have an inherent fondness for movies that mock suburbia as capably as this one does. That all said, and in spite of the fact that I'm both recommending American Beauty and giving it a higher rating than I gave Forever Mine, I'd still have to rank the movie as a mild disappointment.
Although American Beauty is his first feature film, Sam Mendes already seems like a star director because of the tremendously positive buzz surrounding this film (and because of his success with the Blue Room on Broadway). But one of the reasons I was slightly disappointed with the film was because of Mendes's decision to foreshadow, in the movie's first scene, the fate of one of the main characters. It's evident from the outset that American Beauty is a "journey" film, and it's equally apparent where that journey will end. I tried, unsuccessfully, to speak to Mendes after the viewing to learn why he felt it was important to foreshadow the film's ending, because I thought it was a decision that weakened the movie. Perhaps he felt that audiences would otherwise be disappointed with the sudden change in fortunes of that character, or perhaps the whole purpose of the journey was to achieve that fate. It certainly was clear that the final image of that character in the movie closely resembled the rather heavy-handed rose imagery used constantly throughout the film. Whatever -- it didn't work for me, and it was a decision that weakened the movie, in my opinion.
But the movie is otherwise smart, contains sharp dialogue and is consistently entertaining. It's the characters that really make this movie successful. Kevin Spacey is, of course, extremely strong as a man who is stuck in an unrewarding job, has lost touch with his family and, more importantly, has lost the drive and perspective needed to truly enjoy life. Annette Bening is even stronger as his materialistic, frigid and driven wife who has apparently sacrificed her ability to love in her pursuit for success, which she still believes eludes her. She plays a character similar to Mary Tyler Moore in Ordinary People, except less sympathetic -- and she's also the most believable character in the movie. Peter Gallagher -- always entertaining as an ass -- plays his smarmy cameo role as a successful real estate agent well.
The picture of suburbia created by the film feels perfect, if a bit predictable. The characters that visibly seem to be the most alive and successful are in fact the most dysfunctional and out of touch with reality and, correspondingly, the characters that seem misplaced or who act like zombies are in actuality the most astute. When Spacey's character decides to strike out against the artificial confines he has constructed around his life, he gleefully pulls the audience along with him. He gets to do what many of us in Dilbert-esque cubicle society have dreamt of doing, and in the process regains perspective and rediscovers emotion. But his actions almost have too much of a populist appeal to them -- it's precisely because he's doing what we know should justly be done (uh, other than his Lolita-like attraction for Mena Suvari's transparently insecure, but outwardly extroverted, character), that the movie seems unsatisfactorily predictable at times.
Far more interesting is the relationship between the characters played by Thora Birch and Wes Bently. Birch capably plays the daughter of the characters played by Spacey and Bening, and although the daughter is considered to be strange and introverted by her peers, she's easily the most normal character in the film -- the one for whom audience members should feel empathy (although I'm sure there's plenty of Spacey's "Lester" out there). In another excellent performance, Wes Bentley plays Birch's character's suitor. Bentley's "wiser than his years" character posits one lucid observation after another throughout the film, and as a result he shares the bulk of the film's best lines with Spacey. On the other hand, Bentley's father's character, played by Chris Cooper, is a predictable caricature -- he's an easy target to dislike, and sure enough, he consistently lives up to the audience's lowest expectations. He's probably the weak link character in the film.
While I can't not recommend this film -- the dialogue is too genuinely entertaining, and many of the barbs at suburbia (and its frequently materialistic ideals) are both insightful and funny -- I believe Mendes's need to foreshadow events reveals a deeper weakness in the film's script. The film's predictability, heavy-handed use of imagery and consistent focus on easy targets for the audience's scorn ultimately makes the film seem shallower than its glossy presentation would suggest. Hey, just like suburbia -
First off, I must say I had a great laugh. When I sat down in the movie theater I kept asking myself, "Am I in the right theater?" There were two rows of kids (from 5-9 in age by my judgement) with, presumably, mom and grandma sitting a row behind them. And I swear, the trailers didn't help at all... Fantasia 2000 and Music from the Heart. I'm still wondering, "Am I in the right theater?" I look at my ticket stub and I'm pretty positive I'm in the theater marked 23 for American Beauty at 4:15pm. Then the movie starts... Ok, I am in the right theater, but isn't this an R rated film? Well, we'll see in a minute won't we. We move past the scene of Thora Birch about killing daddy and enter Kevin Spacey's monologue.. then the scene creeps up of him jerking off in the shower, the 'highlight of his day'. At which point I see mom and grandma get up and hurry to gather the kids out of their seats and exit the theater. I laughed hysterically. What the fuck were they expecting from a film like this? Sure, it's very vague from the trailers on what it is about, but it's a rated R film. Duh! Secondly, I love this movie. It's a thinker. Spacey plays roles that make me think. Usual Suspects, Se7en, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, LA Confidential, heck... even the Negotiator, all amazing Spacey roles. And Annette Bening, what a great role for her. Is that what happens to the Tony Robbins followers of the world? Go see it and think, think as Harry did. You don't have to agree, but open your mind. Look closer.
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Saw this movie this past Thursday, and what can I say except What a Great Movie!! Kevin Spacey does give the performance of his career and the rest of the cast was great . There is not a single dull moment and if this movie doesn't get you thinking about your own life, it isn't too late to get yourself checked for some sort of mental dysfunction. This movie is one in a million and Thank's Harry for setting me up with some free tickets. SCORE!!!
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Happiness was the biggest hunk of shit I have ever seen. I'm not the only one who believes this - when i saw it in the theatre (first run, so anyone there must have searched it out, not like it was advertised) a lot of people walked out. Sure, if creeping out an audience is the filmakers' goal they succeeded but I think they just went too far.
I'm still going to see American Beauty but I really, REALLY hope it doesn't compare to Happiness in any way whatsoever. -
. . .That's all I can say about American Beauty. Just extremely well written, directed, and acted from start to finish. I think people are going to look back at this movie as one of the films that truly pegged how 90s society is, in the same way that Taxi Driver represents 70s society. Please give Kevin Spacey an Oscar right now--I couldn not stop laughing during his scenes (I rule). And Annette Benning deserves one too. I've never been a giant fan of her films, but this one was a great performance. And to the people wondering if we're supposed to be cheering Spacey on. . .no. We don't approve of what he's doing at all; we're not supposed to say "well good for him." He's funny though, and we laugh because his character is living out all the things that we just think. Anyways, great movie--thanks for the early tips Harry, that's why I check this site every day.
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Anyone who compares American Beauty to Happiness is deluded. American Beauty is written, directed, and photographed not only by professionals, but by adults. The only thing the two movies have in common is that they were shot in color on 35mm film.
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Saw American beauty last night, and thankfully, it wasn't comparable to Happiness in too many ways (other than a bit of masterbation talk). American Beauty is a great movie. completely enjoyable.
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The Matrix was the first surprise movie of the year. American Beauty is the second jaw dropper.
But there are some specific things that make American Beauty the movie that necessitates major jaw surgery while with The Matrix one can simply snap the mandible back into alignment with a swift jolt of the palm.
The Matrix: I went in thinking it was going to be a shoot-em-up special effects flick.
I left rejoicing the psychological and philosophical levels of the movie.
American Beauty: I went in with the lowest expectations. I just wanted to see (and perhaps even touch) Choir Girl from American Pie at the Texas premiere.
I left awe-struck and more than satisfied, though I did not even make any physical contact with Mena Suvari. I knew I had just seen the best movie of 1999. I thought "well, maybe I ought to ruminate... there is no way I just saw the best movie of this year."
And upon careful consideration, GO SEE THIS MOVIE.
The Matrix aside, let's examine why American Beauty is such an artistic masterpiece.
Kevin Spacey- he has been in some of the better and interesting movies of all time (including The Usual Suspects- one of my faves), but in my humble opinion, he shines in American Beauty like he never has shone before. We're talking the kind of performance that will define his career twenty years from now. Call me crazy but I don't think I have seen a better lead role played- ever. Maybe Dr. Strangelove. Nah. Peter Sellers was great, but Spacey is my new hero. If ever I am ever auspicious enough to hold a position of power, the first order on the docket is to award the Congressional Medal of Freedom to the finest actor in film today- Kevin Spacey.
The most original and unique direction I have seen since Kubrick or Hitchcock. Chilling, the images from American Beauty now are an irrevocable part of my psyche.
Humor. This is the first movie in years that is genuinely hilarious. Intelligent humor does not have to be depressing. It does not have to be boring. It does not have to require feigned chuckles. This movie proves just that; American Beauty is full of wit, irony, and a dark humor which, oddly enough, uplifts rather than burdens the soul.
Beauty. The title of the movie. Beauty can be found anywhere. Open your eyes. We'll leave it at that.
And, moreover, American Beauty takes the cake and eats it too as the greatest movie of 1999. We're talking cult following. We're talking Oscars (knock on wood). We're talking a revision in every All-Century, All-Millennium, and All-Time Greatest list to include this dad gum movie.
But who am I? I am just a freshman collegiate. I said nothing in this article about the specifics of the movie. But you really have to trust me. I can't tell you the specifics of the plot. No, really. I do not want to give ANYTHING away. If you do not like this movie, I will gladly do everything in my power to refund the cost of your ticket. -
I saw American Beauty today and felt somewhat ripped off at the ending. Throughout the movie Spacy's character is beefing himself up for a shot at the little hotie cheerleader. Then just as he is about to consumate his lust he stops and doesn't even get her before dying. As a pathetic middle aged man myself give me a break how about a little action for the old guy. The daughter gets some, the wife gets some and all the old guy gets is a bullet in the back of his head.
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The reason Lester (Kevin Spacey) doesn't have sex with Angela (Mena Suvari) at the end of American Beauty is he stops seeing her as some kind of an object, a perfect Lolita fantasy, and starts seeing her as she really is (i.e. "Look Closer"). Angela first acts as Lester's muse, causing him to break out of his stilted life, but at the end Lester becomes so good at really seeing life that he realizes Angela is just a terrified kid who is scared she is only her surface beauty. Angela's only friend is Jane because Jane is the only person who can stand her, and Angela needs someone even more insecure than she is so Angela can put her down and make herself feel more important by comparison. Throughout the movie Angela had been saying she was sexually experienced (having sex with a photographer, etc.) but when she tells Lester the truth (she's a virgin) Lester realizes Angela wants to sleep with him, not out of lust, but because she needs someone to tell her how beautiful and special she is (after Ricky takes her apart in the fight). When that happens, Lester stops seeing Angela as a sex object and sees her in her true light, an insecure kid. So, therefore, he doesn't get laid, but he finds out the point of this whole movie: he sees life as it really is.
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When I told my friend I had seen American History X on DVD, he told me that he attended the film with a black colleague who disliked the film because there were no positive black characters. I immediately thought of the principal and the laundry-room conman. Clearly, an attempt was made to introduce these characters as a counter-point to the vitriolic bigotry spewed. (Even though they provided no solid Hispanic counterpoint to the drug-dealing prison gang depicted.) But after seeing this similarly pseudo-iconic film, American Beauty, I understand his complaint. These movies are not American as I grew up with. My elementary school class was filled with Indo-Asians, Hispanics, Blacks, American Natives, mentally incapacitated, handicapped, and so forth. These movies' attempts to attack racism and homophobia end up using their black and gay (pretty limited diversity) characters as plot mechanisms rather than people. The old adage that when a gun is shown in act one, it will be fired in act three should be amended to when a gun and an oppressed minority is shown in act one, the oppressed minority will fire the gun at the white narrator in act three. American Beauty shines in the moments when it shows how duplicity and disillusionment can actually lead to moments of profound beauty and truth. Witness one of the best scenes in a film this year--when Kevin Spacey turns down Mena Suvari. But that complexity does not manifest itself in Chris Cooper's character. I don't take murder lightly. If a character fires a gun, it is devastating. So imagine what it feels like to walk out of a movie that supposedly deals with aspects of racism or homophobia with the main character, having reached epiphany, being murdered by a black or a gay. (If you say the gay couple were at least stable, well yes, but so was the black principal...and they were inconsequential to the story anyway. Another side note: along with Apt Pupil, American Beauty provides a totally unnecessary moment where the main charater gets all the rewards by blackmailing his foe with manufactured tales of 'homosexual harassment.') It tears at those in the audience who are black or gay, because while the story has scrpted an epiphany for the white audience/narrator, the minority ends the film, unenlightened, holding the smoking gun. It is not politically progressive. It is simply a gross, calculated plot device. And if I knew these characters' complexities as well as I knew those of their victims, maybe I wouldn't feel that way. But I am tired of hearing people proclaim, It was about time we had a character like that in the movies. That needs to be addressed. If you're trying to address injustices, make the people ordinary folks, not murderers acting out of some half-assed repression theory. Two movies I highly recommend seeing this year are Limbo, Go and The Sixth Sense. Each blends characters of different color, sexual preference, and nationality into the story in a non-intrusive, and to me, totally realistic manner. They are also stellar stories. Cheers.
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Spoiler follows. You're complaining that the movie isn't politically progressive? A fairly insulse argument, IMHO. AB is a story; a movie.. and (arguably) art. A very good movie at that. What happens in real life doesn't happen just how we'd like it to, and stories reflecting the moviemakers' visions certainly don't become more meaningful if they always perfectly espouse a certain political view (even their own). Yes, the killer in AB turned out to be a gaybasher with repressed gay feelings. When you're making a movie, feel free to make it as you want. Your gaybasher with repressed gay feelings can save the world if you'd like. =) Frankly, as a moviegoer, I wouldn't want Ball or Mendes to have compromised their visions of this movie for anything. AB was wonderful.
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Dick is a straight A student with a terrible secret: he loves marijuana! He tries to hide his affection as well as his stash, but the effects cause him to go ballistic! He becomes a danger to his family and friends! Dick spies on a girl--Mary Jane. He wants Mary Jane to love him and he tries to turn her on to pot. Knowing it is not right for her, she turns him away. Afraid to let his secret out, and wracked by the stress and torture of it all, he kills Mary Jane! Oh, the horror! And all of this could have been avoided if only society was more open. Then Dick could have been raised in a world where smoking up in public wasn't a sin! And Mary Jane might still be alive to breathe that reefer-scented air. Dustin--I'm not calling for the movie to be politically progressive! Please spare us from that! I'm saying that that plot strand and that character came off in the end like a didactic, melodramatic morality play. It wasn't as rich and layered as the rest of the movie. It is a strong, well-made film, worth seeing, but I wanted to point out why its finale feels so hollow.
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This movie just took everything that middle aged adults hold scared and dumped it out in the middle of a dirty street. It was funny, and the last 20 minutes got very serious, to the point where I teared up. Good review Harry.
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Just a response to the "flaw" of foreshadowing the fate of Spacey's character...
I thought it was an excellent device to pull the audience along. The story is "plot-light," but, without making a big deal of it, the foreshadowing sets up a murder mystery that makes us wonder "How will this man die?" and "Who will be repsonsible?"
All dramatic narrative requires some sort of engine to keep the audience engaged (will the killer be stopped? will the king stop the city's plague), some sort of question that we want answered -- and American Beauty's engine, for this viewer, worked beautifully. -
..I can't possibly add anymore to this forum to praise American Beauty..it's a great movie in so many ways..now to my point..does ANYONE else out there see a "Bobby Darin Appreciation Society" in this flick?? I for one think it's great..but I am a Darin fan...so I'm REAL curious when a movie chooses to use not one, but FOUR musical slections by Bobby Darin in the soundtrack. Three are sort of throwaways..that is ..they last a few seconds (two during the "pass the asparagus" dinner, and one at the "got busted" drive-up window scene). One makes it onto the soundtrack CD, (Don't Rain On My Parade) and also adds to the Bening characterization in the flick. Anyway..sorry to bore you..but I KNOW that Kevin Spacey is a Darin Fan...not too long ago he openly "auditioned" for the lead role in the yet-to-make-it-to-the-next-production-step Darin Biopic, on the Jay Leno show by verbally expressing his interest AND THEN by singing the Darin standard "Mack The Knife" on the show!!...and one of the movie trailers for American Beauty spells out "Bobby Darin" among a number of graphic overlays like "Look Closer" and "Masturbation", etc.....so..anyway..I'd like to know WHO ELSE connected with this movie is a Darin fan?? and for that matter, does anyone reading this care?? Go ahead..tell me to get a life..I can take it...
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Okay, due to Oscar hype, I decided to go out and find this movie since I hadn't seen it yet, and was curious. Of course Podunkville, Ohio, hasn't showed it in months, so I had to drive to a little theatre I've never been to (it turned out to be oozing with charm and character) in a town I've not visited in many years to see it. I misjudged the traffic situation though, and arrived a little late, therefore I missed the first few minutes of the movie. I didn't know Spacey's days were numbered. I only just found out about that aspect when I read Harry's review. I must say, this information is an eye-opener. Changes my whole perspective, actually making the movie better. Before, I thought the story just kind of died. You know? And I wasn't too crazy about it. But now I know it is supposed to. That's the whole point. And that makes it more interesting. I still don't think it's all that great though, but it does have great performances by everyone, creating unforgettable characters. As in The Talented Mr. Ripley and The Green Mile, I think the performances are great in movies that are good. No offense to the people who made them, because they're technically terrific. (I've seen enough Public Access to know it must be really really hard to create quality entertainment). And American Beauty is probably still the Oscar front-runner. Hell, if Ordinary People can beat Raging Bull...
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OK, I know some of you are no doubt sick of hearing about this film; the trade rags are full of ads from
Dreamworks pushing it for Oscars
(every issue of Daily Variety I've received the past few weeks has at least one full-page ad).
I just saw it again tonight here
in the Bay Area at the San Rafael Film Center
and the second time around it still stood up
and still moved me.
BTW there's a great interview with Alan Ball in the latest "Creative Screenwriter" where he talks about
a framing device (a trial) that was dropped from the original script in the editing room. Fascinating reading for anyone interested in how
a film can change while it's being made.
I hope it wins a slew of Oscars and Dreamworks re-releases
it because my feeling is that it didn't reach the wide
audience it should have...
Cheers,
-Brendon -
I can't put into words how much I liked this film. It was truly a great piece of American cinema. I was touched. It made examine the beauty in life, as we should, and how told us basically that we should look for it and seek it out.
The entire cast, particularly Kevin Spacey, Annette Benning, Thora Birch and Chris Cooper put soul into their characters and Alan Ball's script was perfect. The director, whose name escapes me at the moment, was excellent as well. I'd like to see more of his work in the future. It's hard to believe he was a first-timer. -
This film is the sort that changes the way we look at life. As I sat, the tears welling up and streaming down my cheeks during Lesters final speech, my mind was set free. I wondered if I would ever be this calm and zen-like when I die. The incredible climax that we all knew was coming, is one of the most emotional moments I have ever experianced over a film.
The entire plot is a huge device to make the viewer examine what they are doing with their lives. Re-examine their values, and bring you smack down to earth when you realise what a sham todays world can be. Lester is every single middle-aged unhappy husband in the world. His yearning to be better is our yearning. His quest for something more, is ours when we realise that THIS IS IT. As far as we know, you only get one life, and most people don't sit up and take stock of it until they realise that they are forty years old, and they have done NOTHING! At twenty, I am already panicking that I have not yet used my life to it's full extent. Lesters sudden switch to pot-smoking, body-building entrepeneur is both comical, and inspirational.
The character of Ricky is who i find the most fascinating. The sort of character who makes you catch your breath, and wonder what his life has been like, to make him this way. Similar to Will in Good Will Hunting. Both tragic, and at times creepy, Ricky is a deceptively menacing character, until you realise that he is part of what makes Lester live, as well as die. It is tragic how his relationship with his father will never be resolved. His father beligerantly, and idiotically clinging to his morals, and viscious prejudice like a life-raft in a sea of frightening imagery. Homosexuals, anarchy and drugs, that scare him more than he can handle. His eventual snap coming after he discovers something about himself that terrifys him is a masterstroke.
Though some have dubbed the murder mystery plot tacked on, and needlessly enigmatic, I think it is key to our final engagement with Lesters thaughts. We are so wrapped up in the "Who's, Whens" and "Why's" that we forget the innate sadness of the whole affair. Lester is an innocent victim, but there is really no villain of the piece. Everyone is a victim of sorts, and everyone suffers as a result of their actions. It is worth noting that Annette Benning is absolutely superb as Carolynne. As neurotic and pitiable as her daughter, and so lost in her adult world that she has forgotten the simple pleasures in life.
Finally, it is the role Spacey has been waiting for all these years. Whist he has always amazed us in his support roles, we have all been secretly wishing for the lead that would take us on a breathtaking journey through his range of perfectly balanced acting. He is quite simply remarkable. The acting equivolent of a Cherry-red Pontiac Firebird. If you see this film, and do not feel overwhelming emotion at the end, then check yourself into the nearest morgue, you have joined Lester prematurely. -
Any movie with Kevin Spacey practising self abuse is worth it. He was better in Swimmimg With Sharks, but this movie was far superior. The man deserves an Oscar. Harry, your right, best piece of ass in town.
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I'm really tired of Hollywood trying to pass Kevin Spocey as straight. Every role he's chosen for reveals, through content, misogyny and seems to affirm this "I'm a victim of terrible women philosophy".
As far as AB, it's just another attempt to coddle a menopausal male who can't let go of teenage immaturity and narcissim, or other fantasies of omnipotence. The kind of guy that oggles his friend's teenage daughter and needs this kind of cultural feedback to shift responsibility for his lack of character.
I say this group simply needs a good slap in the face, not a pat on the back, however subtle.
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The hype on AB is typical of public taste - root for sensationalism and hystrionics with no insight.
"Happiness" in comparison is a work that is both unique, intelligent and well acted (mainly due to a lack of grotesque stereotypes). Mr. Solondz other great film about human frailty is "Welcome to the Dollhouse". 20 years from now, these 2 works will stand the test of time.
Good writing is always clever and subtle, never in your face.
What seems to also hold such fascination for everyone is Spacey's rageful whinning, which is much like Rush Limbaugh with a degree in theatre arts and high on a couple of valiums.
Art is supposed to offer a new persective, to offer an ability to hold fresh and meaningful dialogue, not rehash the same old crap that adds up to nothing but empty cynicism. Empty cynicism is what tends to appeal to teenagers and the perennially adolescent adult because it's their only available language to express frustrations at issues they can't quite yet articulate in specific terms or with any understanding that isn't strictly based on self-absorption and the finger pointing that comes with it. -
What's this about trying to pass him off as straight, who gives a fuck if he's a fag? The man can act. This is an awesome movie that made me laugh till I hurt all over. Happiness was just perverted shit that nobody went to see..I mean fine movie but...
If you made a top 10 list of the movies from the 90s you could pull off having all of Spacey's movies. Anybody see Glengarry Glen Ross? Holy Fuck! -
Anyone there?
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I love this movie I think Kevin Spacey is a talented actor. But I was wondering They type of Handgun Annette Benning(Carolyn) was using. If any one knows what type it is, or how I can find out you can write back here or e-mail me at angelfire420@hotmail.com
Thnx -
So many American films are of the "A, B, C .." variety, I can understand the confusion that a film like "American Beauty" can engender.
"American Beauty", as those in aeronautics say, "broke the envelope." It didn't crash; but flew very high indeed.
The comments I have read on this film often shed more light on what is going on off-screen. That America has drifted from right-wing to fascist (unfortunately, often in the name of "political-correctness", pseudo-equality, or pseudo-feminism) during the past 20 or so years, is not nearly as depressing as the fact that no one even raises these questions for discussion. But of course that is the hallmark of fascism.
Here are a few pointers to view "American Beauty" in a new way.
1. The characters are not stereotypes and the plot elements are not cliches', as some have maintained, but caricatures; the film exists in a symbological "America".
2. One clue to the above, but worthy of discussion for its own sake, is that the film is extemporal and non-linear. This view dismisses several unjustified criticisms; among them, continuity errors (Why was Chris's face not bruised in the scene following the one where his father hits him?), characters seemingly "illogical" or eccentric behavior, and the so-called, "..over use of the rose metaphor.." The "rose metaphor" is really a "Super-metaphor" that serves to carry other metaphors. Look (much) closer.
3. Some have commented that foreknowledge of Lester's death was an error in directorial judgment. Wrong. "How" or "Why" something is going to happen, as every writer from Sophocles to Shakespeare knew, is always more interesting than the event itself.
4. Although the film may contain misogynistic and/or racist elements, this does not make the writer or director chauvinists or Klansmen. Those of you who have said this are confusing "necessary" with "sufficient" proofs. Logic dies as liberty dies. See above.
All comments are welcome.
"American Beauty" is in my top ten. -
to mention the clincher to any argument over whether or not "American Beauty" deserves classic status:
Surely the primary artifact of American excess, cheap commercialism, and stylistically empty mass-production is the plastic bag. No, Virginia, most are not recycled, but constitute the bulk of "landfill" waste, still.
Any film that can take such a symbol, turn it into high art, and leave half of the audience in tears...well, what else can one say? -
to mention the clincher to any argument over whether or not "American Beauty" deserves classic status:
Surely the primary artifact of American excess, cheap commercialism, and stylistically empty mass-production is the plastic bag. No, Virginia, most are not recycled, but constitute the bulk of "landfill" waste, still.
Any film that can take such a symbol, turn it into high art, and leave half of the audience in tears...well, what else can one say? -
I realise I'm coming to this particular talkback late, but I just saw American Beauty today, right now...actually the tape is rewinding as I type. I'm in awe....first with Harry's review, which is the best piece of writing I've seen from him in a while, the opening comments of his are TRUE...totally TRUE. Second, the film itself. All I can say is, as a 40 year old myself, it sure as hell gave me pause to think about re-evaluating what I'm doing for a living...... because it isn't what I want to be doing, therefore, it's not a living...it's an existence.
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