American Beauty, the movie. Your interpretation and thoughts..

[diamond]

Great show.
Who did you identify with.?
Who were your sympathies with?
Who was more right the husband or wife?
diamond

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AIM= diamondbruno9

 

[ghetofabu]

It was good. Kevin is one of my fav actors. I liked his char the most, though I can not really identify with him. I did think however he was right.

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When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?" --Henry Rollins

 

[bono-vox]

I could relate with the son & daughter......

it was a weird film but i loved it!!!!

I have nay seeen it in ages cus the video player ATE my tape

--->*insert mad smiley here*

 

[bono-vox]

Oh and i tink the husband was right - mr spaaaaaacey

 

[OzAurora]

Great film- I really loved it heaps, all of the acting was so superb and I felt most sorry for the next door Father- at least Lester got to liberate himself and have a bit of fun - but that poor guy, just imagine being like that....I think the best thing aobut this movie is that I guess that there are people not just in America but in all places in the world who are just like this....anyway ya just gotta love Kevin Spacey

 

[Lemon Meringue]

It gave me weird dreams.

 

[diamond]

So Lester was pretty much right?(Kevin S.)?

D
B
9

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AIM= diamondbruno9

 

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by diamond:
So Lester was pretty much right?(Kevin S.)?

D
B
9

Given that I wanted to smack his wife through most of the film, I'll say yes.

 

[diamond]

Originally posted by joyfulgirl:
Given that I wanted to smack his wife through most of the film, I'll say yes.

DB9



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AIM= diamondbruno9

 

[Judah]

Ack. I thought the movie was over rated. Magnolia from that year (i think it was the same year) was much better.

I didn't like the fact that the whole climax of the movie was based on a conveniently scriptwritten misunderstanding (i.e. the neighbor thinks he's seen his sone give hed to Kevin Spacey).

Also, the one gay character is, of course, all fucked up about it and ends up killing someone. Lame...

Aside from that, i loved the acting and some of the more subtle things the director was trying to say about alienation, relationships, etc.

 

[jezebel]

god, Annette Bening's character was so irritating!

Yep, Lester was right

What was up with all the roses....what were they supposed to symbolize anyway? Call me dense!

Anyway, loved the movie!

 

[Peaseblossom]

I Loved LOVED LOOOOOVED that movie. Lester had the idea... although I don't know if I would've gone so far...

However, I personally use "I rule" whenever I do something semi-meaningless that makes me happy.

 

[diamond]

I identified w Lester.

I was still married at that time

diamond

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AIM= diamondbruno9

 

[The Wanderer]

Originally posted by Judah:
Also, the one gay character is, of course, all fucked up about it and ends up killing someone. Lame...

you may want to look closer next time, the neighbors were gay, and were portrayed as intelligent and affluent suburbinites (albeit, their role was minor)

 

[brettig]

Is the American Dream really like that??

Very fine movie.

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

LOVE this film. I definitely identified with Thora Birch's character. Never really comfortable in her own skin and having to put up with crazy parents (my own house was similar to that before the parents divorced). Very good movie.

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Let's pray for something
To feel good in the morning

 

[pax]

My favorite part of my all-time favorite movie:

RICKEY: If I had to leave tonight, would you go with me?

JANE: What?

RICKEY: If I had to go to New York, tonight, to live, would you go with me?

::long pause::

JANE: Yes.

Damn, I want that to happen to me.

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Well, the God I believe in isn't short on cash, mister. --Bono

But a day will come
In this dawning age
When an honest man
Sees an honest wage.
--The Edge

 

[madonna's child]

It's a good film. But, here's a question, what are the roses/color red symbolic of?

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Sunday all the lights of London / Shining, sky is fading red to blue / I'm kicking through the Autumn leaves / And wondering where it is you might be going to

Love,
Emily
<A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/springtime5348/index.html" TARGET=_blank>
Emily's Wallpapers
</A>

 

[ghetofabu]

Originally posted by The Wanderer:
you may want to look closer next time, the neighbors were gay, and were portrayed as intelligent and affluent suburbinites (albeit, their role was minor)

Very true.

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When life hands you a lemon, say "Oh yeah, I like lemons. What else you got?" --Henry Rollins

 

[joyfulgirl]

Originally posted by WildHoneyAlways:
Okay, so the military dad nextdoor was gay. I didn't get that at all from the film. Someone mentioned it to me months later. Is that why his wife was kind of crazy? If anyone would like to shed some light on this I'd appriecate it. Thanks.

Okay, this is a total spoiler, but he was homophobic due to being closeted himself, hence his rage over thinking his son was gay, and feeling rejected by Kevin Spacey was all it took to push him over the edge. It's a very real stereotype--I know men like that--and in fact, whenever I see a seriously homophobic angry man who thinks gays are evil and sinful, I tend to suspect he might be gay and in total fear and denial about it, and consumed with self-hatred. I was glad this character was so well-depicted in the movie, and also glad that there was a happy, intelligent gay couple as well.

As for the damaged mother, I think there were many issues, but certainly living with the military dad in all his multi-faceted rage was probably the largest factor.

 

[Not George Lucas]

American Beauty would have been a good film if they hadn't lopped off the ending and called it deep and artistic.

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Truth is offensive.
I'm morally opposed to rape, and I would never rape anyone, but I think, ultimately, it's up to the rapist and no one else.

 

[kariatari]

Originally posted by madonna's child:
It's a good film. But, here's a question, what are the roses/color red symbolic of?

I've been wondering the same thing too! I think that the roses and red sympbolize dreams, fantasies, illusions, etc. The red door and the roses around the house I believe symbolize the American Dream - having a house with a perfect family. It appeared that the Burnhams had a pretty normal family, untill you looked closer, hence, the roses and the red door which symbolize illusion.

The roses that are always associated with Mena Suvari's character (Angela?) have to do with fantasy and illusion too, as you always saw the roses when Lester was dreaming about Angela. Her character is also some kind of an illusion too, because Lester pictures her as some sort of sex vixen, when all along she was really putting on an act.

 

[madonna's child]

Yeah, kariatari, that's essentially my theory. The red represents illusions and desires. The only thing that doesn't explain is the graphic use of blood when Kevin Spacey's character is shot. I mean, it's everywhere and it's RED. Unless it symbolizes that his life was an illusion.

 

[U2girl]

LOOOOOOVED it. The actors were great. (gotta love Kevin Spacey, also Annete Beaning did a great job)

Identify with? With the daughter at times.

IMO, in a marriage like that, no one is right - they should have got divorced. Though i thought Spacey's character was a bit better (since she cheated on him).

 

[WildHoneyAlways]

Okay, so the military dad nextdoor was gay. I didn't get that at all from the film. Someone mentioned it to me months later. Is that why his wife was kind of crazy? If anyone would like to shed some light on this I'd appriecate it. Thanks.

 

[cloudimani]

I loved the movie too.
I think Kevin Spacey is a great actor and yeah his character was good though maybe he went a bit too far...
I think Ricky's character was probably the most impressive though, he was the only one who was genuinely confortable with himself and who he was was.
I guess you take from the roses what you will. This may be just stupid, but for me they represented the traditional, accepted form of beauty that was represented by Angela in the movie, but there was also the other kind of beauty that a lot of people miss that Ricky say in Janey and in the plastic bag in his video
*breathes again*


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Love is a very powerful thing. There's nothing more radical than two people loving each other. When I talk about love I'm thinking of an unselfish love. Emotions can be bought and sold just like anything else, but I think real love is about giving and not expecting anything in return...I think that love stands out when set against struggle.
-Bono (on love in 'War')

?*~darkcloud~*?

 

[meegannie]

Originally posted by Judah:
Ack. I thought the movie was over rated. Magnolia from that year (i think it was the same year) was much better.

I didn't like the fact that the whole climax of the movie was based on a conveniently scriptwritten misunderstanding (i.e. the neighbor thinks he's seen his sone give hed to Kevin Spacey).

Also, the one gay character is, of course, all fucked up about it and ends up killing someone. Lame...

Aside from that, i loved the acting and some of the more subtle things the director was trying to say about alienation, relationships, etc.

I agree. I thought the whole movie was too predictable and pretentious.