feeling sorry for a rich white guy

Rating: 2/10 (4 November 2001)

How disappointing. I was expecting a wonderful case study of humanity, and instead I got served up an essay in white man's burden. I'm supposed to feel sorry for a middle-class white guy just because he doesn't want to have sex with his wife, has a boring (yet well-paying) job, and feels guilt about lecherously lusting after his teenage daughter's friend?

American Beauty would be more appropriately titled American Ugly -- it showcases all that is gruesome and gluttoness in our society. There are so many other people to pity, so many other causes to champion, that American Beauty seems like a disgusting, pretentious affirmation of excess.

The acting is better than the plot, but unfortunately, that is not saying much. Annete Bening truly deserved her Oscar nomination as a shallow, semi-ruthless real estate agent trying to figure out how to fulfill her own personal wishes with superficiality. And Chris Cooper, as usual, turns in a wonderful character performance. However, Kevin Spacey --- who went on to win the Oscar for his role --- was pretention itself. I never once felt pity for his character, and I never once believed, as he did, that he was entitled to anything more than his life gave him.
Catering to privileged white men? Feeling sorry for a married man because he wants to bed a teenager? C'mon. Let's change our priorities and maybe have them show through in the movies.