I've been in the mood of searching for and watching "classic"
movies no matter how old they are. Last weekend, I finished God Father
Triology, which I have watched twice and still find the movies
astonishingly wonderful and interesting. Last night, I watched American
Beauty, for the first time, getting to know by accident how well the
movie did at the 1999 Academy Awards and other international film
festivals. And gosh, I gotta share with you right away because this
movie truly deserves the title, one of the masterpieces of all time that
brings a perfect blend of intelligent screenplay, perfect acting and a
powerful story!
Whereas some movies will glide by as "good" until
they might, decades later, slip into the realm of "classic", American
Beauty is one of those rare films whose place among the classics has
been guaranteed since its appearance. In this movie, a metaphorical
magnifying glass is placed over American society and in particular the
lives of people living in a typical middle-class suburban. However, I do
think the message of this movie is applicable not only to American
society but also to all societies around the world. It's the film's tag
line: "Look closer".
The movie is a story about Lester Burnham, a
man in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis. The
nice-looking 2-storey house complete with shutters and the bright red
door does a great job of hiding and trapping Lester, his boring life and
dysfunctional family. Lester's relationship with his wife Carolyn is
not a warm one. While on the surface, Carolyn strives to present the
image that she's in full control of her life, inside, she actually feels
empty and desperate.
Their teenage daughter Jane is constantly
depressed, lacking self-esteem and convinced that she's unattractive.
Her problem seems worsened by her best friend Angela who is quite
beautiful and believes that that alone makes her a worthwhile person.
Lester falls into uncontrollable lust for Angela and she becomes part of
his drastic plan to change his body and his life. Next door, Colonel
Fitts, an ex-Marine, watches his son, Ricky - an aspiring filmmaker and
part-time drug dealer - with close eyes to make sure Ricky doesn't do
drugs. While Ricky gets closer to Lester's daughter, Carolyn starts to
sleep with a rival real estate agent.
All these complicated
relationships are hidden behind beautiful pictures of well-managed
families. But as you look closer, you'll start to discover a lot of
opposite things. Things that seem to be perfect outside suddenly become
dysfunctional parts while things that don't seem to be so beautiful turn
out to have their own charm. I can't forget the final scene in which a
discarded plastic bag blown by wind flies on the street. That scene
looks so beautiful! That's when I realized that if we look closer to
what happening around us, we may be able to find more beautiful things
in life. What do you think about the poster with a beautiful rose on
such a nice flat belly? So gorgeous, isn't it? But "look closer"!
I
wouldn't tell you how many awards the movie had won because I think the
awards themselves aren't the only measure of its awesomeness and
success. I strongly believe that this movie will touch every corner of
your souls when you watch and feel it. And I think this is the best
measure of American Beauty's success. So watch this movie and start
"looking closer"!
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