Review of American Beauty (1999) by Keenan S — 16 Feb 2015

American Beauty is a work of art. It transcends being more than just a film, but it becomes a magnificent experience that absorbs the viewer by making them ponder about life itself and their very existence. It's a film that digs deep into your soul, dissecting each and every part of it, laying out every bit of your insecurities, desires, dark thoughts, and every ugly part, as it mocks the facade every person has to a certain degree about themselves - all with a biting sense of dark, satirical humor that gives us a chance to laugh at ourselves as we come to realize all our flaws and our self-righteous falsehoods. It's a masterpiece and one of the absolute greats of drama and comedy that I have ever seen.

The story follows the troubled Burnham family. Lester is essentially emasculated now and is also hated by his realtor wife, Carolyn, and their daughter, Jane. The marriage is a shadow of its former self and is only kept together for public appearances like realtor parties, while the two in private haven't had sex in years and constantly argue.

Lester also hates his job and grows to hate his existence with each passing day. Carolyn is a self-absorbed and materialistic woman who begins to develop an infatuation with a rival real estate agent, which provides her with a new found energy for life and her career. Meanwhile, their daughter, Jane, drifts away from her parents as their relationship continues to deteriorate, while also struggling with self-esteem issues.

One day, things take a dramatic turn for Lester when he and his wife decide to go watch their daughter perform a cheerleading routine at a basketball game, and Lester's gaze falls upon a beautiful blonde-haired cheerleader named Angela (She is also the best friend of his daughter) and he immediately develops an infatuation for her, awakening desires and his spirit which had been diminishing for years, making him feel young again.

His confidence is further bolstered when he overhears his daughter and Angela having a conversation where Angela says that she thinks that he's kind of cute, that he probably has a big dick, and should work out more. Wanting to impress her, he begins to work out more, and also quits his job, starts smoking pot, and buys a 1970 Pontiac Firebird as his mid-life crisis and infatuation for Angela grows. He becomes determined to win her over and have sex with her at some point.

Soon, his wife begins an illicit affair with the rival real estate agent and also begins to develop a fascination with shooting firearms, which makes her feel powerful.

Jane also begins a relationship with the boy next door named Ricky, who despite being the soon of a strict military man, he spends his time filming people in a creepy manner and selling drugs. He also has a history of some mental illness, but Jane becomes infatuated with him.

There is also a subplot involving Ricky and his strict father, who is hiding secrets of his own, and also has contempt for most of his neighbors, including the Burnham family, and especially a gay couple his family has as neighbors. The relationship isn't exactly healthy between father and son, and the lines between strict discipline and abuse threaten to cross over, while trying to maintain an appearance among other people.

The story is absolutely brilliant with its various themes and topics. For one thing, it's a vicious satirical stab at suburban life, as the inhabitants of suburbia all give a certain appearance in public - all while criticizing their fellow inhabitants with their self-righteous falsehoods - while their lives behind the sameness of the houses and white picket fences hide deep troubles and insecurities that demand they find fault with others to feel better about themselves.

The story also does a phenomenal job of exploring other themes like sexual repression, sexual reawakening, mid-life crises, the crumbling family dynamic, facades, the turmoils of both adolescence and adulthood, the social norms, rebellions against societal norms, and a whole host of other things.

But, most importantly, it is a human story about our natures. It's brutal, harsh, and mocks our behaviors, laying out every last bit of our flaws as a species and demands that we take a good, hard look at ourselves.

The acting is also absolutely splendid across the board. Kevin Spacey as Lester was nothing short of brilliance in his performance as a crushed man who rises from the ashes to attain his temptation while his sham of a life crumbles around him. His performance was magnetic, and also hysterically funny, too.

Annette Bening also did a fantastic job as the smug, self-absorbed Carolyn as she too, awakens from her sham of a former life to feel more powerful and do whatever it took to get to the top.

Mena Suvari as Angela was also a brilliant casting choice, since she played the seductive teenager expertly, but she also proved to be enigmatic and intriguing as well, rather than just being a slutty archetype sort of character. She had charm and personality to go along with her seductive beauty.

Thora Birch as the troubled, low self-esteem Jane was also a great actress since she conveyed expertly the awkward, struggling teen to perfection and all the struggles that come with that.

And, while their are a number of other great performances to commend, the last I shall speak of is Wes Bentley as Ricky. His portrayal of the creepy, awkward, dangerous, but fascinating, Ricky was also a fantastic performance that proved to be both sinister, but also strangely sympathetic as you learn more about his troubled character.

If you want entertainment, there's a lot you're going to find. The drama is heart-wrenching and brutally honest, but the film is also absolutely hilarious with its pitch-black satirical humor. There's never a dull moment as it will engage you intellectually, emotionally, and also humorously as you dive into the lives of the very real characters who show us things about ourselves we don't dare admit as their suburban, wannabe utopia comes crashing down around them in a tragic end.

American Beauty is a film that must be experienced by anyone who claims to love films. It is a film that should be discussed and interpreted, and it is also a film that will stay with you long after you've watched it. It's a film that truly makes you think about life and how you are as a person with brutal honesty and vicious humor, because it's a story about life itself. It's a masterwork and you should watch it.