My Favourite Movies: American Beauty

I still remember being totally blown away in 1999 by this movie. I had no real idea what it was about when I sat down in the movie theatre next to my friend CrazyQueen. I actually think it was her idea to see this and I simply consented to go along for the ride. How glad I was that I made that decision!

The movie revolves around the mid-life crisis of advertising executive Lester Burnham played with superb understatement by the great Kevin Spacey. He finds himself as a fortysomething man whose wife hates him (when she’s not ignoring him) and whose daughter holds him in contempt. Unsure what to do with himself he’s dragged along to his daughters cheerleading debut and meets her school friend Angela Hayes played by Mena Suvari. Soon deeply infatuated with the teenage wannabe model and movie star he starts ‘working out’ to look good in front of her. Meanwhile new neighbours have arrived – the Fitts family comprising of father (Chris Cooper), Mother (Allison Janey) and son Ricky played by the amazing and mesmerising Wes Bentley. Not only is Ricky a drug dealer par excellence he’s also a collector of film footage of events around him – from dancing plastic bags to decomposing birds. After some initial sparks Lester’s daughter (played by Thora Birch) and Ricky become lovers. Meanwhile Lester’s wife Caroline (played with over-the-top intensity by Annette Benning) starts to ‘find herself’ in the arms of a new lover and on the firing range. All the pieces are now in place for the drama to unfold ending, as is foretold in the opening scenes, with Lester’s death within a year.

I am not in the least surprised (although maybe I should be considering other winners) that American Beauty won 5 Oscar’s and 6 BAFTA’s including Best Film at both ceremonies. Not only was the acting of a very high standard (though I was less than impressed by Ms Suvari) but the storyline is truly magical. The American mid-life crisis plotline is so hackneyed that it was about time that a film such as this was made. As it delves into the seedier side of American suburban living we are quickly made aware that everything we see is a front, a façade. As is made all too clear as Benning takes advice from the Property King himself when he says “In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times”. Nothing about reality here, just about image. But that’s another thing I love about this movie. It’s got some great observations and very quotable lines. Like Ricky, though in my case for 3-4 minutes rather than his 15, I have watched a carrier bag ‘dancing’ in the wind. Like Ricky I think I see things that people simply don’t notice – though I think his being overwhelmed by the beauty in the world might be more to do with his drug taking that anything actually there! But it could, of course, all be a matter of perspective. But before I finish and recommend you see this movie ASAP I’ll leave you with one of the laugh-out-loud moments when Lester is asked to write out his job description and any reasons why the company shouldn’t fire him:

"My job consists of basically masking my contempt for the assholes in charge, and, at least once a day, retiring to the men's room so I can jerk off while I fantasize about a life that doesn't so closely resemble Hell."

Brilliant.