American Beauty

It really captured the zeitgeist of the time it was released. I think it holds up, but more as a time capsule film, rather than something that can still be mined for relevance to day.

I'm the other way round: I didn't like it in 1999 but now enjoy it as an unintentional high camp comedy with no social commentary to speak of.

I feel the same way OP. I also saw it as a teenager and it came out when I was 16. I remember my friend's mom forbidding us to see it because of the opening scene where Kevin Spacey is jerking off in the shower, and I wound up coming out, while her son is in his mid 30s, deep in the closet, and married to a woman.

I should add, so naturally we saw it since she did not want her son seeing it. Anyway, I thought it was great then, but I watched it six years later in college, and it had aged very poorly.

Great movie. Great acting.

And great men have great faults.

The odd part is that my friend was basically out in college, but the went back into the closet but I mean, hey it's his life.

Annette Bening deserved the Oscar for her performance in American Beauty. She has not given a great performance since.

That wasn't one either. The only great performance she's ever given was in "The Grifters".

The father coming up to Kevin Spacey's character was one of the great twists of modern cinema. I agree with whoever said it works best as a time capsule.

I didn't think that it was all that when it came out.

Bashing the shallowness of suburban life is such easy pickings, its the sort of film that college kids who disdain their parents' lifestyle consider "deep".

I loved it when it first came out since back then as a teenager I used to smoke pot.

I saw this in first release as well and was so underwhelmed. Spacey's character was just an absolute shit to everyone, Bening was a shrew. It's Chris Cooper's performance that has always stuck with me. when he makes a play for Spacey? Whoa, that was amazing! And to get turned down, to realize he was wrong? Of course he snapped. It was Cooper and his performance that has stayed with me.

I thought Bening was great. She reminded me so much of my own mother it was scary. My Dad and sister used to joke about it.

The Grifters was before American Beauty, R8 which is why I said "since." Grifters was also an excellent performance.

Loved this movie. Made me realize suburbia is not all picket fences and Sunday dinners. I was so naive.

I live in Alan Ball's little hometown suburb and i will always love how just nails this place.

I loved this movie and I still do.

The Ice Storm was better.

The Ice Storm is a far superior movie.

Annette was brilliant in her representation of the quintessential modern American woman.

I loved this movie. The best part for me is when he got that muscle car; it made me realize you should do/buy/see the things you've always dreamed about, before it's too late.

So deep.

Bening is an excellent, all around actor. I think she's one of the best.

I loved Peter Gallagher in this movie. I think he's not only hot but a great actor. I don't understand why he never had a bigger career.

I always thought it was pretty misogynistic. The men are all misunderstood, but the villains are the bitch wife and the daughter's bitch female friend.

If I were to come across this movie now I'd just fast forward to all the Annette Bening scenes. She was perfect.

The scene, where Annette Bening was showing a home, but it fell through... then starts to freak out with a "self" affirming , gearing up self talk. She was so obsessed, it was brilliant.

r25, I think the Mena Suvari character has sort of a redemption moment at the end where she reveals some vulnerability (and her virginity) and fear of being "ordinary". Even Annette Bening showed hints of her own humanity in the end, but most of the characters in the film are pretty soulless and shut down and that's probably the point.

That would be called scenery chewing. Bening left no piece without her teeth marks in them. You just know when she saw that script she just "KNEW" she would finally get that OSCAR.

Mena Suvari was really good in this. The best thought, was the girl who calls her a total prostitute and then gives her that look. I cracked up for like twenty minutes.

R3, do you actually plan on discussing the movie at any point, or just your “friend’s” relationship with his homosexuality?

I remember in high school, all the other boys seemed to think that American Beauty and Fight Club were the greatest movies ever made. But, I found American Beauty pretentious.

[quote] You just know when she saw that script she just "KNEW" she would finally get that OSCAR.

But as it eventually turned out, though...

Annette Bening in American Beauty was robbed of the Best Actress Oscar. She was the most outstanding. Tragic that she lost. Hilary Swank won for Boys Don't Cry.

That movie is 20 years old. That's hard to believe. It doesn't seem that long ago.

Yes the Ice Storm was a great movie. I have watched it multiple times, and read the book.

Anyway R31, I enjoyed American beauty when it came out and thought all the actors and actresses in it were well cast, but looking back it has not aged well, but Annette Bening was the best person in the film as far as the entire cast. Spacey's character was a total dick, and I heard how the film was originally supposed to end in a courtroom, or something, did anyone else hear that?

Yes R30 that scene also cracked me up!

R15, why did you once believe it was like that?

I grew up in suburbia, and let's just say I could tell some crazy stories. Affairs, abuse that was basically an open secret, drug addictions/overdoses, people who loved to appear rich and wealthy but were in lots of debt for putting on an appearance like this, etc.

I hated American Beauty at the time of its release and have no desire to revisit it.

I also recently saw for first times in year. It was a movie. for it time

I was underwhelmed when I saw it when it first came out on the video format of the moment. Glad I hadn't gone to the theatre to see it. Never wanted to see it again. Kevin Spacey is so overrated, I thought even then.

I agree, Kevin Spacey is and has always been overrated. The only film I've ever liked him in is The Ref with (the very unpleasant) Judy Davis.

R25 that's pretty much where we are. Denying men and highlighting women's needs. Men are evil sex pests!!!! No cumming!!!!!!

The "profound" plastic bag scene is hilarious. It can only really be appreciated as camp, now.

I agree about THE ICE STORM being a far better film. I've seen that one many times and still enjoy it.

"Fight Club" and "American Beauty" are the simple minded person's idea of intellectual movies offering profound social commentary. Both were very much on the nose.

This scene from "Barcelona" pretty much explains my feelings about the both:

R36, originally the kids were put on trial for killing Lester. The police found that video and assumed Ricky and Jane were guilty. Then they threw out that idea. I think the courtroom scenes were at the beginning and the end. There was also supposed to be a flashback scene where Mr. Fitts and a marine corps buddy a seen not just having sex but making passionate love back in the day.

The plastic bag scene is so fucking stupid and lowers the film a good deal. I think it's a great movie besides that and it's a shame Bening didn't win the Oscar for her performance. She was hilarious, scary, and heartbreaking all at once.

OP, it was always shit. The only thing that's changed is that you seem to have developed some good taste over the years.

LOL R47, your funny yet bitchy comment is why I read comments on DL. W&W for you.