Movie Review: American Beauty

American Beauty is an intriguing story tinged with sexual tension. From the very first captivating scene, in which you are essentially seeing the movie’s ending, you are instantly drawn into the movie. Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a very successful man, he has a wonderful family but his life is somewhat repetitive and staid.

Now I don’t think I’ll spoil too much by telling you that we know this is the last day of Lester’s life – you know this within a couple of minutes. However, rather than spoiling the movie, this fact actually adds intrigue and a sense of tension even before we start watching the movie.

As the past unfolds through flashbacks, we see Lester try and find his lost youth. In perhaps a classic mid life crisis he quits his job, starts to exercise and buys a sports car. Suddenly he finds himself infatuated with his daughter’s friend –a beautiful young lady who enjoys the lust she inspires in others. She is brash about her (supposed) sexuality and this begins to build the sexual electricity that we feel as the movie moves on.

This brashness and her seeming interest in him inspires his new lifestyle as he begins to fantasize about an illicit love affair with her – his desire is obviously wrong, but his obsession grows as he begins to try and catch her eye.

Meanwhile his wife is also going through a midlife crisis. Rather than quitting her job, she throws herself into her job, and finds the attention of a fellow real estate agent, who not only admirers her work but also makes obvious advances, very intriguing and soon has her own infatuation to deal with.

Then there’s the next door neighbors son, who is infatuated with Lester’s daughter they should have called the movie ‘infatuation’! – he is a troubled teen but eventually begins to find a place in the daughter’s heart as she begins to understand him.

And then there’s the next door neighbor who ends up being the key to the whole movie and essentially is the catalyst that changes everything…..lost yet? It’s not as complicated as it sounds, the movie does a good job of guiding you through the plot

…so that’s essentially the plot. While it’s not your typical ‘social’ grouping, and some of the relationships are a little unreal, the movie does try to tackle many complex issues. It comments that many of us, no matter how old or young are lost in life and put on a face to society that isn’t our true face.

The movie has no solutions to any of the dilemmas faced by the characters; it simply presents them as problems – ones that do have solutions, but solutions that the audience has to work out for themselves (after the movie!).

The sexual infatuation by the older man is nothing new – going back in history Middle Aged man has always been infatuated with young women – the line that is crossed in this movie is the fact that the object of infatuation is an underage girl. The movie comments on how powerful this compelling infatuation can be and the dangers therein.

The movie is all about repression. Each character represses some supposedly dark secret, and it’s this repression that leads to most of the obsessive behavior. The characters do not realize or understand that everyone is flawed in some way, and the movie almost comments that it is how we deal with these flaws that counts, not the flaw itself. I fell the movie almost says it’s OK to fantasize about young ladies, but actually doing something is wrong – this isn’t my opinion just the feeling I got from the movie

The interplay between the characters is interesting – the effect of one’s behavior has an impact on all those around you. It’s interesting to see how each character enters their own little world and almost shuts down everything else.

The movie comments that these relationships are complex and are not simply age-centric. The pressures of life affect all ages, and each relationship affects all others. The parent’s actions confuse the children – especially as the family unit begins to break apart. The lack of family also leads to misconceptions – one girl thinks that ‘sex’ is the key to life.

Overall it is a compelling commentary on today’s society. While not all families are like this, I am sure we can all see a little of our selves within each of the characters.

The movie makes no judgments, it simply tells the story…