Subject: Re: American Beauty
From: Mattis Fishman (mattis@argoscomp.com)
Date: Mon Feb 21 2000 - 12:27:49 EST
Hello Fellow Bananafish,
There! I knew if I procrastinated long enough someone else would
write my posts for me. In this instance, I have the honor of
being pre-empted by none other than our resident cynic and
head-expander himself. The topic is the movie American Beauty.
I have to make a disclaimer that I have not seen the movie, but
that after the positive remarks made a few months ago on this list,
I found the script on the web and read it. This means that the
cinematographic impact, which undoubtedly is responsible for much
of the impression one would get from the film, was partly lost on me.
On the other hand there are no images to distract from the message,
a message that was very disturbing to me.
My first impression was almost identical to Scottie's description, that it
is a string of cliches. But it struck me more strongly than that. After
a while it became apparent that all, or almost all, of the characters
are merely charicatures: the military homophobe/homsexual father, the
career and status obsessed mother, the blond self-centered aspiring actress,
the coporate bad-guys right out of Dilbert. Even the middle-aged "rebel"
whose primary motivition is to "look good naked". All of these are
are so obviously one-dimensional bad-guys, that I wonder if in the
film they all wear black hats. (I will admit that Ricky (the drug dealer),
Jane (the girl on trial) and Lester (the murder victim) do exhibit some
depth and change in their character, but that is not what I want to talk
about now).
What really bothers me is the way everyone really likes this picture.
How we (no, here I can say *you*) are so anxious to paint the supporting
cast for a pair of misunderstood teenagers with such a black brush.
As though only drug dealers, parent haters (and in the final voice-over,
dead men) are capable of understanding true love and beauty in a world
overrun with monsters. As though it is inevitable that when we age
past the responsibility-free years of smoking dope, or the pass the
stage where can please our children with rides at the amusement park,
we become hopelessly corrupt.
In my opinion, this is dishonest and manipulative on the part of the
film-makers, and a bad reflection on the viewers who so enthusiastically
accept this point of view.
all the best,
Mattis
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