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American Beauty (DVD)

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You Beauty - American Beauty

May 11th, 2001

Advantages:
Superb all round - this film is a classic

Disadvantages:
Depressing story . . . naah

Recommendable Yes:

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mmuk

mmuk

About me:

Hello, I'm MMUK,I'm a student - who loves films, music computer games, football, the internet and tv...

Member since:15.03.2001

Reviews:19

Members who trust:16

Every so often in Hollywood a film is produced which strays away from the norm, I could start to list them but I won’t because that would take your attention away from American Beauty.

There was a lot of hype built around its release but it doesn’t disappoint. Sam Mendes has done a terrific job in portraying Mid-life crisis and how people deal with it. This film also portrays tearaway teens, reluctant homosexuals and obsessions. Intriguing no?

*This may ruin the plot for some people so don’t say I didn’t tell you so ;-)*
The story begins with a shot of Middle America suburbia (does that make sense?), the neighbourhood where the dysfunctional Burnham family live. This particular bit of scenery showing the trees in autumn seems to symbolise Lester Burnham, a 42-year-old man who is fed up of being average. Like him the trees are ready to shed their leaves and end up looking like they are coming to the end of their life, this is why I think the shot is used throughout the film.

Kevin Spacey is the star of the show and for good reason. He is best known for roles in Usual Suspects, Seven and LA confidential – where is characters are a manipulative criminal, an evil psychotic killer and the celebrity cop who always had the press at hand when he was about to make an arrest. So how does he cope as the pathetic, vulnerable, loser Lester? The answer is brilliantly. Throughout the film Spacey has a narrative role as well as the part of Lester. At the start of the movie he announces he is going to die. The film shows the last year in his life up to the fatal moment

He starts the day depressed before the highlight being masturbating in the shower, by the way this film is an 18 so has adult content! He then goes off to his equally depressing job and returning to his unhappy family. Annette Bening is superb as Carolyn the workaholic, artificially happy wife and mother of confused teenage daughter Jane played by Thora Hird.

The Fitts family move in next door, they consist of Ricky Fitts, his mum and dad, Barbara and Colonel Frank. Throughout the film Ricky kept me amused as you see him obsessively filming every thing in sight and in particular Jane. Apart from Spacey I think that Wes Bentley gave the best performance in the film, I expect to see him as the lead in a couple of years.
Although Ricky seems weird at first you can understand him more as the film progresses. His father (Chris Cooper) is a stern military man and on the outside is extremely homophobic although beneath the surface he hides his repressed sexuality. Ricky doesn’t seem to fear his dad – I assume that this is because throughout his life he has seen his dad as an intimidating figure and has gotten used to it. Barbara has a very small role, Allison Janney, who can be seen as CJ in the West Wing, plays the silent mother who doesn’t seem to feature in the movie at all.

When Lester and Carolyn go to see Jane as a cheerleader at her schools basketball match, Lester is distracted by Jane’s friend Angela, who he quickly becomes infatuated with and starts having fantasies involving her being naked and a lot of roses. I am not sure whether these are used to symbolise the fact that the love is forbidden from the start or like Adam and Joe said just to cover her nips. Although later in the film we finally get to see them even though this doesn’t affect my rating of this film :-p

This signifies the start of Lester’s rebirth – when the girls are round the Burnham’s house Angela tells Jane that her dad would look great if he worked out. Lester is eavesdropping and decides to wipe the dust off those weights.

At a boring party Lester meets Ricky who is working as a waiter and they go and have some weed outside. A bond seems to form here and when Ricky’s boss starts having a go he tells him where he can shove his job, which really seems to impress Lester.

The next day Lester decides to continue his smoking habit and goes to see Ricky to get a supply. We see Ricky’s room which is filled with loads of videotapes, which I suspect is an indication of his obsession with filming anything, he finds beautiful. The room also has a great entertainment system suitable for any mans front room. Widescreen TV, video player, hi-fi all top class. We find that Ricky is a full time supplier and gets many perks, which he can call upon – such as a clean sample of urine. Yes his dad makes him take a drug test once a year to check it is, well, clean. What is truly funny is how his dad thinks Ricky could afford everything just for waiting tables.

Lester quits his job getting a decent golden handshake and he decides to revert back to his student days. Listening to music from his youth, working out, smoking dope and getting a job in the local Burger Bar. Whilst working here he catches his wife who is having an affair with her business rival Buddy King.

I will not ruin the rest of the film except to say it comes too a quirky conclusion. The cast are excellent, as is the direction, script and music. The dialogue is fast and witty and the use of Ricky’s camera as a view of his perspective on beauty provides comical moments and more poignant thoughts. First of all you will laugh at his filming of the plastic bag in the wind but I could see what he was thinking of when he did it.

When Lester turns down Angela when she is offering herself on a plate, we see that he is a good man (and so is America!) and that under her flirtatious surface Angela is frightened of not being accepted or popular. Mankind can be good sometimes you know. This film should be watched more than once to catch some of the more meaningful parts and it is enjoyable enough for you to want to do so.

Go watch it now - an alternative to action flicks like the Matrix and Gladiator - it did win a couple of awards too... ;-)

Look closer...

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MMUK

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Comments about this review »

julietta 01.09.2001 18:57

Great opinion - decent film, very hyped though!

eca99ajm 27.06.2001 23:25

"like Adam and Joe said just to cover her nips" - ha ha aha aha hahah ha - I hadn't thought of that before! Anna

Dogbert 07.06.2001 16:12

I can't believe I haven't watched this film yet. I mean I meant to I just keep forgetting, I will watch it very soon, thanks for the reminder

read all comments

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American Beauty [DVD] [2000] From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...	Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...	£ 4.98 Visit Shop > amazon dvd
American Beauty [DVD] [2000] From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...	Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...	£ 4.98 Visit Shop > amazon marketplace d...
American Beauty DVD Marking the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theatre director Sam Mendes ... more this funny moving and shocking journey through life in suburban America follows the trials and tribulations of Lester (Kevin Spacey) and Carolyn (Annette Bening) ...	Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days	£ 5.00 Visit Shop > play.com (films)
American Beauty Look closer at the most talked about film of the year. A funny, moving and shocking ... more journey through life in suburban America.Look closer at fortysomething ad man Lester Burnham and his status-seeking wife, Carolyn, as their marriage and lives slowly un...	Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: In Stock	£ 5.43 Visit Shop > LOVEFiLM.com
American Beauty-DVD	Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: In stock - Usually dispatched within 24 hours...	£ 5.43 Visit Shop > thehut.com

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More reviews »

American Beauty (DVD) - review by a-true-ben

Advantages: Technically superb - great script and acting
Disadvantages: But to be honest I didn't really enjoy it

a-true-ben 04.04.2002 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American Beauty (DVD) - review by polydeuces

Advantages: Wonderful film, spuerb acting
Disadvantages: Nothing worth mentioning

polydeuces 23.11.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American Beauty (DVD) - review by earningstuff

Advantages: a good film with a message
Disadvantages: too hyped

earningstuff 18.03.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American Beauty (DVD) - review by ultras67

Advantages: Kevin Spacey
Disadvantages: Ho hum plot

ultras67 05.04.2001 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American Beauty (DVD) - review by ayanayuk

Advantages: Excellent acting, keeps you watching, brilliant soundtrack
Disadvantages: Dream sequences can be confusing sometimes.

ayanayuk 04.09.2001 (04.09.2001) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
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American Beauty (DVD)

You Beauty - American Beauty

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MMUK

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You Beauty - American Beauty

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