It's OK, I wouldn't remember me either.

Rating: 10/10 (7 May 2005)

American Beauty. By title and cover I was expecting some unoriginal romantic comedy, but it turned out I didn't really have a clue as to what was waiting for me. I bought it on coincidence - it was on sale at a supermarket store. I'm grateful for the nature of coincidence.
Curiously, I loaded up the opening scene. A girl wanting to kill her father. This was hardly the comedy I was thinking it would be. But what was it then...? The movie goes on and the father - Lester Burnham initiates a voice-over, accounting for his current life or lack there of. In calm honesty he shamelessly confesses the failure he considers himself to be. Furthermore, he condemns and rejects the moral values and norms that he has apparently been living with for very long, as he has come to realize that they don't provide the any joy in his life. This was something that spoke to my mind. It felt very real.
This is a movie about rebellion. Rebellion towards your surroundings for having evolved into a character you cannot identify with. For petrifying emotionally and personally inside as a sacrifice to conform into the life you're supposedly living.
During Lesters initial voice-over, we're told that Lester will be dead within a year and Lester tells us that, in a way, he feels as though he's already dead.
Lester doesn't really become aware of what he's missing until one night, when he's dragged to a sports event by his wife, in order to watch his daughter perform as a cheerleader. During the performance, Lester spots Angela, a high-school friend of his daughter and a beautiful girl. Suddenly, Lester realizes that he's missing something, that he needs something and the following nights he's dreaming about this girl. During these days, a series of incidents wakes up Lester and he radically begins reshaping his character.
The movie continues and at the end Lester does die - just like he predicted, but he didn't die as a dead man. He died very alive.
This movie had a significant meaning for me in my teenage years searching for identity. It served as inspiration for my character. It's a savoring, yet nutritious meal for anyone hungering for genuine beauty.
Everyone here are urging you to look closer at this movie. Don't hesitate. Do it. You won't regret it.