superb performances elevate movie above plot

Rating: Null/10 (13 December 2000)

Had it not been for Hillary Swank's unbelievable performance in "Boys Don't Cry," Annette Benning surely would have won "Best Actress" as this was possibly one of the best performances in the past decade. Kevin Spacey, confirmed by his oscar, also did a superb job. But strong performances are not the only elements of a masterpiece, and this film lacks certain qualities or attributes that would elevate it to that status.
Despite the humor and irony, this film is quite perverse, not necessarily because of Lester's obsession with a teenager but because almost EVERY scene involves dialogue that centres around sex (and it is often quite vulgar). Had it not been so unrelenting, I would not be bothered by this, but we are bombarded with crude dialogue throughout the entire film.
This is something I did not notice the first time I saw "American Beauty". However, watching for a second time, I couldn't help but feel that it was overdone and inappropriate. Had it been a bit more subtle it would have been perfect, but it was too much.
Next time you watch this movie, try to take notice just how often there are crude references or sexual images. Normally I have no problem with such things in a film, but in one so lauded and praised, I had a hard time understanding the appropriateness.
Concerning the plot, I was eerily reminded of a Seinfeld episode gone awry. Such misunderstandings would not occur in real-life because people would not behave in the way these characters did. Although the character Lester might be easily related to by many men (and maybe women too, I don't know, I can't really speak for them) the situation surrounding him and events that occur around him are a little hard to believe.
It is these factors I feel detract from this film and keep it from the level from which critics have elevated it. A superb film, one deserving the Academy Award for best picture? Perhaps. But not an all-time classic.