American Beauty isn't

Rating: 1/10 (5 April 2000)

At the end of this film, Kevin Spacey's character talks about the idea of one's life passing before one's eyes at the point of death. If such a phenomena is true, then I fervently pray that, at the moment of my demise, the two-plus hours I sat in the theatre watching this dreadful movie will be omitted by the Great Film Editor in the Sky. I knew as I left the theatre, long before the awards, that this movie would win the Oscar for Best Picture. It's EXACTLY the sort of condescending, self-important tripe that Hollywood likes to honor. Both "The Insider" and "The Sixth Sense" were superior movies. I'm no genius, but I demand that a movie be smarter than I. I knew every plot "twist" five minutes before it happened, only erring on when Lester would be killed, but not by whom. Unbelievably stereotyped characters. Not particularly funny. I guess that because Lester beats off in the shower or lusts after an underage girl, we are supposed to think this movie is worthy of praise. I wonder how many people would praise the movie if Lester had lusted after an underage BOY? The ONLY good scene was the film within the film -- lovely and poetic. But one scene does not a good movie make, let alone a Best Picture. "American Beauty" is nothing more than an extended sitcom (though one that would only be shown on HBO). An utter waste of time. The Hollywood marketing machine has pulled off another cultural coup.