AMERICAN BEAUTY
dir: Sam Mendes
I had always heard your entire life flashes in front of your eyes the second before you die. First of all, that one second isn't a second at all, it stretches on forever, like an ocean of time. - Lester
Why It's Here
Lester is going through a midlife crisis, in an attempt to shake his life up, he begins to ignore his wife, take a new job, and create a fantasy relationship with his teenage daughters friend. All while his daughter has a growing interest in an unpopular boy who films everything he sees.
Brief Synopsis
Packed with great performances, most notably Kevin Spacey in what is perhaps the role of his career; the movie also hosts an amazing debut directing job by Sam Mendes who will continue on to direct more excellent films.
The movie itself is an interestingly twisted and unusual slice-of-life movie. Taking on the simplistic situation of a father having a mid-life crisis turns unusual when he tries to relive his younger years. Declaring he rules for buying his dream car, being more spontaneous, accepting a job with minimal responsibility, and trying to involve himself with his teenage daughters classmate. Bizarre but interesting, the film is extremely memorable because of it's quirkiness and very rewatchable.
The movie is enjoyable to watch and has a lot of heart as we see his daughter's awkward growth of maturity, her new romance to a filmmaker who sees beauty in ways that conflict with typical popular culture. A great monologue takes place criticizing the "normal" and "ordinary". The entire movie makes numerous comments about suburban culture and the infatuation with having a family in the suburbs, living a typical, ordinary life and how that is supposed to be the American Dream. The movie goes behind closed doors to show how unusual this "dream" really is, and how it really, really, doesn't work. The woman of the house, Carolyn, is the spitting image of a wife who buys into this culture and is willing to stick with it to the bitter end. And what a bitter end this story has.
The movie itself is an interestingly twisted and unusual slice-of-life movie. Taking on the simplistic situation of a father having a mid-life crisis turns unusual when he tries to relive his younger years. Declaring he rules for buying his dream car, being more spontaneous, accepting a job with minimal responsibility, and trying to involve himself with his teenage daughters classmate. Bizarre but interesting, the film is extremely memorable because of it's quirkiness and very rewatchable.
The movie is enjoyable to watch and has a lot of heart as we see his daughter's awkward growth of maturity, her new romance to a filmmaker who sees beauty in ways that conflict with typical popular culture. A great monologue takes place criticizing the "normal" and "ordinary". The entire movie makes numerous comments about suburban culture and the infatuation with having a family in the suburbs, living a typical, ordinary life and how that is supposed to be the American Dream. The movie goes behind closed doors to show how unusual this "dream" really is, and how it really, really, doesn't work. The woman of the house, Carolyn, is the spitting image of a wife who buys into this culture and is willing to stick with it to the bitter end. And what a bitter end this story has.
Lesson Learned
Suburban life isn't as it was in the 1950's. The American Dream no longer lives there, even if it's deceptions make it seem so.
Memorable Moment
Lester applies for a job at a fast food restaurant which he is very over-qualified for, asking for minimum responsibility. He then meets his wife's secret love affair through a drive thru window.