Odd, twisted, sick, and oddly fascinating

Rating: Null/10 (7 July 2002)

This is the first 'real' movie I'm reviewing. All of my other writings on this site have been for MST3K B-movies or animated films. American Beauty, however, was Oscar-nominated and heralded by many critics, so I take this task a little more seriously. Like I said, this is one dark and twisted film. The whole pacakage, from the wife smacking herself in moments of hysteria to the husband who fantasizes about a high school senior, is about as weird as you can get. But if you prefer something with a little more edge in your movies, this is perfect. Every single character is worth a second look, and both the opening and closing monologues are classic (I'm going to use the opener for a theatrical audition, if that tells you anything). There are also some good comedic moments that are both sly and funny, though you may catch yourself holding back the chuckle. Again, this is some fuzzed up shoot, if I may take a note from the Superstation channel. Red is a major color in this film, from the bold roses to the door on the main character's house. I am not quite sure what its meaning is, but you can be sure I'll find out. This may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I certainly enjoyed the experience. Oh, and check out that ending! You knew what was going to happen from the first minute of watching, but still...4 out of 4 stars.