It's not impossible to do quality without visiting the seamy side

Rating: 5/10 (27 November 2000)

American Beauty is a perfect example of why the movie industry might as well post "Adults over 40 not admitted" signs in front of every theater in the land. Combine every kind of deviant behavior this side of Silence of the Lambs with good acting and quality lighting and photographic effects and you have a recipe for best picture. I guess. One of the younger set said this: "There weren't any good movies last year." I guess not. Yes, this is a thoughtful presentation and Kevin Spacey, in particular, does a terrific job of delivering the script and the director's wishes. But this is life? This is beauty? It's not impossible to do quality without visiting the seamy side. Give me an hour and I can give you a list of 100 movies made in the last decade that offer a quality look, compelling dialogue and thought-provoking circumstances -- without glorifying anti-social behavior or getting into the world of guns and drugs. Most of the time, the politicians and do-gooders who want to clean up Hollywood turn my stomach. But if the industry and the movie-going public feel American Beauty is top of the line, maybe it's time to listen to the clean up Hollywood bunch.