What redemption? These people are sick and selfish!

Rating: Null/10 (13 March 2000)

I am just now seeing American Beauty since its post Oscar nomination re-release. What a thorough disappointment. I'm most disturbed by the fact that so many people saw the events in the film as an honest, gutsy, portrayal, of over-indulgent, numbed into boredom middle class life. My descriptions would run more along the lines of pedophilic, selfish, amoral, and soulless.
If I'm going to believe that Lester truly had a transformation then he should have been sobbing with regret for almost molesting a child. He should have been torn apart by how low his life had sunk that he would so violate this girl not to mention hurt his own daughter. Instead he buttons her shirt up and makes her some food. Gee, how profound.
I've heard this movie described as spiritual, which is funny because it's the lack of spirituality that is at the root of these characters' problems. I am not a prude and I have no problem with seeing the dark sides of human nature (a la Kidz) but to act like this movie was anything other than a very sad commentary on empty anchorless lives is a shame.