Not so much 'look closer' as 'American Reflections'.

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2006)

I heard about American Beauty after the Oscars fuss in which it did tremendously well and I wondered, "What is it about this movie?". Its director was British but it is rooted particularly in the American Consciousness of the now, this century. Kevin Spacey is sublime as Lester Burnham, the beleaguered, comatose American husband on the verge of a midlife crisis. His marriage is a mess, his wife is preoccupied with her career and 'stuff', his daughter is enduring typical teenage angst and insecurity and he is wondering why he is sleepwalking through life. Tired of doing this, Lester decides to blackmail his boss and quits his job with a massive payoff, fantasies about his daughter's blonde best friend, works out, smokes the dope bought from his new neighbour's overly sensitive son who films people dong strange stuff and gets a new job in a Burger bar to be deliberately difficult. All of this exasperates his wife, who after watching him 'masturbate' and getting a lecture on 'why' decides to learn to screw her rival and shoot guns. Meanwhile his daughter is now involved with his new neighbour's son who is having lots of problems with his controlling All American US Marine Corp father.
You just know this mixture is like gunpowder. At some point, someone will light the touchpaper or the fuse and walk quickly away.
Brilliant performances from all, including Thora Birch and Wes Bentley who act beyond their years and career bests from Annette Benning and Kevin Spacey makes this a thought-provoking movie.