It tries to say too much, and was just confusing

Rating: 5/10 (6 June 2002)

This movie has a lot to say, but more than once it really trips over its words. I thought parts of this movie were great (like the dinner plate-throwing scene) and sent a clear message, but other parts were desperately trying to be deep and not saying anything. Was I the only one who didn't see the importance of the Nazi plate and the events surrounding it? That part in particular, for me, was an irrelevant sidenote. Maybe I just need to watch this movie again. The end somewhat disappointed me also. I won't go into detail, I don't want to include spoilers, but it seems like some points of the plot were just thrown in in the last 15 minutes, and although we know what happens to Lester Burnham, I for one did not have any idea what the rest of the characters did at the end of the movie. Maybe that was just part of the movie that was intended, but I thought it was a rushed, sloppy conclusion.