My God!

Rating: 10/10 (8 November 1999)

Big-ass spoilers follow. I had heard incredibly good things about this movie before I saw it, and I was prepared for a big let-down. Luckily I was not disappointed. I rarely enjoy a movie as much as I enjoyed this one. I kept telling my girlfriend throughout the film--- "I just absolutely love this movie." "That was so cool!" "That guy is my idol." The characters connected with me in such a personal way I could not believe it. The disgust that Lester shows for his pathetic suburban life, and Spacey's fantastic performance, excited me to no end. The arty drug-dealing teenager was my favorite, though. His calm and confidence were inspiring. A friend of mine had a hard time believing that anyone would find things like dead birds beautiful. Well, I went to art school for five years, I have artist friends, I make art myself, and I have known and even momentarily been this character many times during my life. I've never known anyone with a supply of genetically engineered super-weed, though. Anyway, when the shot of the teenagers watching the plastic bag on the screen came up, I nearly wept. I loved these characters because for all the qualities I admired in them, there was something about each one that I totally despised. They were like my friends and family--- I loved and hated them. The dinner scenes were some of the best work I have ever seen in any film. If only more hit movies had this kind of depth and this kind of humor. American Beauty gives me hope for the future.