Hollywood already gave us a blueprint of how a happy suburban family should look like. We can see how American Beauty plays with those concepts

Rating: 8/10 (6 January 2016)

American Beauty is a multi-layered satire of the American dream that is being portrayed in Hollywood. Visually, the movie has many similarities with mainstream American family movies. These similarities combined with the brutally realistic characters helps the black humor within the movie. The pursuit of happiness and limitations that come with reality are the controlling ideas of this movie.
We watch the pursuit of Lester, a character who can be considered as an anti-hero easily. He is not a regular protagonist who, at the end of the day, saves the town, fight against corruption in the office and do everything to save his marriage. Instead, Lester blackmails his boss, fantasizes about his daughter's friend and reconnects to life by smoking pot in his garage.
I can't talk for everyone but I didn't loose the connection with Lester beginning to end. I watched and supported his growth affectionately. His character proves that the pursuit of happiness is possible for the 'sick and corrupted' as well.
Hollywood already gave us a blueprint of how a happy suburban family should look like. We can see how American Beauty plays with those concepts; a beautiful wife taking care of a garden full of red roses, living in a house with a red door and complimenting blue blinds. Everything looks like it was just painted a week ago. A life to be admired and envied by the neighbors