above average

Rating: 10/10 (17 April 2000)

American Beauty 9 -10/10
It is an above average film which is rare in a year but every year products one or two ones. The subject is showing what is hidden behind the American's paradise, American's kind and smile. Money doesn't make people happy not even in America, and there are a lot of miscarried, average, dull courses of life on the other side of the ocean. Of course we in Hungary or in Europe know indeed that USA is not an earth paradise, and there are problems with American people too. A book the title of which is about Why we can't bear the Americans, (take it easy it is only a joke) is being published in Hungary now, involves the stereotypy about average Americans which are involved in this film. The film shows the average suburban Americans as we see them from outside.
The film focused on a suburban family and its neighbours. It shows people who are ordinary but they don't want to be, they want to have exciting life and meet the requirements of big American society. There are people among them who lives average, dull life have got common emotions and ambitions but they accepted themselves and only want to live their life and feel well. They are indeed free is a free world. They find each other. One of them has a camera and records the American beauty which is not what we think of at first, it is more common. The leading man Lester becomes from ordinary petty-minded individual to free, likeable man.
The best point of the film is that it is not an art film, it doesn't want people to think their life seriously and change it. It shows the dark side of AMERICAN ORDINARY LIFE in entertaining way and the audience can laugh and cry at the same time. As if the film said; this is our life, it is beautiful in its ugly and you have to accept it. Because I don't think, that most American people will change their minds, their lives because of the film.
About the actors and actresses: Extraordinary Kevin Spacey has a very good role and who might did better the role than it was originally. In Hungary there is a special topic for him where the fans let adore him. He preserved it and an Oscar award. I support for Anette Benning too at Oscar ceremony, and everybody was very good.