American Beauty - Hot Article

The movie was a satire that poked fun at our way of life. As thedivorce rate continues to creep over fifty one percent in this country, ourworld has come to accept divorce as the norm. In other words, this storydoes reflect the ordinary world. Ironically, no matter what problems maycome into our lives, we can take a little bit of time to realize life's"beauty." Our hero was able to accomplish something that very few of uswill ever able to do; the hero got to smell the roses while his peers hadto go to work which made his dieing bitter sweet. The ordinary world is where the movie begins. The hero in this moviefinds his conventional thinking and beliefs challenged. The ordinary worldsetting of the movie has our hero Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey,in a funk. The first scene is a testament to his frustrations as he isrevealed in the shower masturbating and providing an explanation that thiswould be the high point of his day. The source of his frustration is madeobvious very quickly. He has a spouse and child but he has not had sex inquite a while with his wife who appears obsessed with decorating. But the appearance of their marital happiness only exposes a bigger


Ironically, nomatter what problems our lives contain, we should follow Lester's lead andrealize life's "beauty. Lester does not make it though the Threshold a secondtime. This realization propels him backinto the midlife reasoning zone by helping him understand that a youngLolita was not in fact who or what he wanted. Frnak is disgusted with a gay neighbornamed Jim, played by Scott Bakula, his wife Barbar, played Allison Janneyand his drug dealing psychotic son Ricky, played by Wes Bentley. It was when Lester was forced to cross the threshold again that thestory took a bigger twist. But,before moving on the final stage of the journey, Lester discovered aThreshold. He crossesthe threshold in his own mind. His new lifestyle provides the various tests of allies and enemies. Inthis case, the neighbor has a recent graduate from a psyche hospitalselling drugs next door to Lester. The next door neighbor confronts Lester aboutthe apparent affair with the neighbor's son but Lester does not comprehendhis imminent danger. The supreme ordeal was presented in a way to make the viewerrealize that we live in a life of illusion. The film provides the hero with plenty ofopportunities to bring himself the elixir of life but in the end he justends up dead. " Our hero was able to accomplish something thatvery few of us will ever able to do; the hero got to smell the roses whilehis peers had to go to work which made his dieing not such a bed way to goin the end. We think we want this or thatand it turns out that is not the case at all. Lester's daughter who happens to be themost lucid in the family finds happiness and beauty in the boy next doorand through his camera.