American Beauty and suburban blisters
American Beauty
Starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening
Directed by Sam Mendes
Review by John Gauci
Success and happiness is attained through a delicate balance of wealth, a dynamic career, a loyal family, physical beauty and popularity — or so the mantra of modern capitalist society goes.
Despite all five food groups being represented at every meal, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) and his nuclear family are living in a suburban blister.
American Beauty is one of a series of recent films, including Happiness, Fightclub and Pleasantville, that hold a mirror to reality to reveal the isolation, misery and disillusion many "successful" people feel in contemporary society.
The film centres around a stereotypical white middle class US family living in what should be suburban bliss. This is where any similarity with the Brady Bunch ends.
Lester, who works for an advertising agency, is married to Carolyn (Annette Bening) and is Jane's father. Each feels isolated from the others, a house of discontent.
Spacey's timing and pace are fantastic, shaping a deeply cynical character on the brink of blowing it all. So good is Spacey's performance it is often awkward to watch.
Bening is the perfect example the dynamic, affirmation-reciting real estate agent misshapen by her desire for success: "If one is to be perceived as successful one must project an image of success."
Ricky (Wes Bently), the boy/drug dealer next door, is obsessed with recording incongruous details of life with his digital camera. Despite his suffocating home life, and being an outcast amongst his peers, Ricky sees beauty and potential in the world. His optimism gives the film hope.
American Beauty does not propose any solutions to the feelings of disillusionment with capitalist society, but it does reaffirm that a society driven by profits has little place for personal fulfilment.