What's wrong with American Beauty?

[ColinM]

I've noticed a lot of people lately saying that they didn't like American Beauty. Interstingly, I don't really remembering hearing the Schmoes say they didn't like it until...well, today! It's one of my favorite movies (one of my few 10/10s), and I believe it should have been the fourth movie to win all five main Oscars.

So, I was wondering what the reasons are that you Schmoes don't like it? I'm not saying you're wrong for not liking it, but I'd sure like to know why you don't...

[Fergus]

Nothing is wrong with American Beauty. It was one of the most powerful moviegoing experiences I ever had. I'm not one of those who was bashing it, and I have questioned that myself. The only problem I have with it, is that the second viewing wasn't as powerful as the first, and its power slightly dwindled. But, I still think it is a beautiful film. Especially the closing scene which has the capability to provoke tears. Especially that little flashback of Lester and his wife. Oh, a beautiful film, and it didn't leave my mind for the rest of the night after I watched it, by myself, at a theatre while on vacation. It wasn't planned, and I had heard barely anything about AB, so the shock of it was immense to say the least. I don't know how anyone could not like it. It's on my favorites list too Colin.

[This message has been edited by Fergus (edited 03-09-2002).]

[idealdiscountdude]

I don't hate it, i've just never liked it.

First things first. The film was dull. There was just nothing there to hold my interest completely which is it's first debit. I was bored!

Secondly, Annette Bening gave a terrible performance. I thought she was horrible.

Thirdly, the film just tried to damn hard to be good.

I did however enjoy the performances of Thora Birch and Kevin Spacey. They were excellent and there was some great dialogue.

It could have been a great film, but it failed.

5/10

[The Other]

Nothing at all. It's my all-time favorite movie. It has incredible performances by everyone involved, an amazing script by Alan Ball (I love his series Six Feet Under on HBO as well), great direction by Sam Mendes, a powerful score by Thomas Newman (which I own), it's beautifully photographed by Conrad Hall (the imagery, the scenes with Mena Suvari and the rose petals). It's both extremely funny and disturbingly dramatic. I think you can relate to it, I can.

The best scene was the dancing bag scene and what Ricky (Wes Bentley) says is really powerful. And it's almost repeated by Spacey in the end.

Ricky Fitts: It was one of those days when it's a minute away from snowing and there's this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was just dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that's the day I realized that there's this... entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know that there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video's a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember... I need to remember... Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in.


Lester Burnham: I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me. But it's hard to stay mad when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once... and it's too much. My heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst. And then I remember... to relax, and not try to hold on to it. And then it flows through me like rain. And I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life. You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. Don't worry... you will someday.

Just check out the rest of the quotes from the IMDb page (http://us.imdb.com/Quotes?0169547)

[BakeTheMooCow]

Its one of my favorite films. I adore it. 10/10 in my eyes. Great performances all around, wonderful dialogue and really makes you think.

[the saw is family]

when i first saw the film in the theatre i was amazed and blown away by it,when it came to video i rented it the day it came out watched it twice and still felt the same way about it. so i naturally got it on dvd and i had it for awile and hadn'y yet watched it again,so i threw it in about amonth ago and the film really lost alot of power for me which is saying alot because before then i regarded it as one of top five favorite films of all time,i thought the performances espescially annete benning's were all extremly over the top,the story had lost alot of realism for me also. now this doesen't mean i disliked the film i just saw it in a different light i saw it as a somewhat convincing drama with campy over the top performances. originally i gave it a 10/10 now i would say 8/10 i still like the film very much but it's definetly fallen out of my top five list.

[Scarface98.9]

i think it's cause some ppl didn't like it that it beat out some other movies for best picture, which the might've thought worthy

[blackbear]

I personally think this was a fantastic movie. It was virtually faultless containing all the right elements. I also thought that Annette Benings performance was not over the top at all and she played the role remarkably well. SPOILER……… Someone also said in another thread that the movie was too sentimental. The movie was about two extremely dysfunctional fighting families in which one of the fathers murders the other. What is sentimental about that! One of the most refreshing well crafted movies I have ever seen.

[arto_j]

American Beauty was a perfect movie. So far I have found absolutely nothing wrong with it in the three viewings I've had. I've wondered this very same thing but Colin beat me to it to start this topic. The acting is some of the best ever and the....oh forget it, I think everything is just the way the perfect movie should have. Some people have found it boring, but for me I just didn't want it to end. One of the best films ever made.