American Beauty

I have watched many films over my short life thus far and I can vividly recall many of my first.  From cheering on the Mighty Ducks to staring in shock at the screen as I watched Mufasa fall to his death, I saw many films during my youth that turned me into a “movie fan.”  It was not until much a few years later, however, that I saw a film that turned me into a “movie lover.”  A movie that made me understand the true power of film.  That film was American Beauty.

American Beauty is the tale of Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, a seemingly unassuming upper middle class white American male.  He is married to his wife Caroline, has a daughter named Jane, and a mundane white collar job.  Not is all as it seems, though, as Lester is on the verge of the breaking point.  He is about to experience an intense mid-life crisis, one that will have a profound impact on himself, his family and his neighbors.  Those neighbors include a boy who has just moved into the house next door with his ex-marine father who begins a budding romance with Jane.

The movie is essentially a following of Lester’s actions, as he continues to rebel and “break free,” and the responses of those around him to his actions.  The film is so much more than that though; it is a commentary on American society and a critique of what we have come to value as a society and the things we have started not to value.  It is a story of humor, love, absurdity, lust and tragedy.  It is a story I cannot spoil for you, one that you simply must see for yourself.

Here is the first scene from the movie, see if it's to your liking:

This Smart Ass gives it...