...Look Closer
made by virago
The title of the film, American Beauty, refers to a breed of roses that while pretty and appealing in appearance, is often prone to rot underneath at the roots and branches of the plant.
Thus, the tagline "...look closer" tells the viewer that when they look beyond the "perfect suburban life" they will find something rancid at the root.
Directer Sam Mendes called American Beauty a rites of passage film about imprisonment and escape from imprisonment.
The monotony of Lester's existence is established through his gray, nondescript workplace and characterless clothing.
In these scenes, he is often framed as if trapped, "reiterating rituals that hardly please him".
He masturbates in the confines of his shower; the shower stall evokes a jail cell and the shot is the first of many where Lester is confined behind bars or within frames, such as when he is reflected behind columns of numbers on a computer monitor, "confined [and] nearly crossed out".
I lended the VCD to three of my friends, all the three of them did NOT see how good a movie it was.
I think it is because my friends are quite straight forward and honest to their feelings. They do what they want, say what they want, and mostly joyful with their lives.
Therefore, they do not know how is the trapped, suppressed, hopeless, living-someone-else's-life feeling going on.
Hence, they could not resonate with the movie nor relate to any of the characters.
But if you like the movie, which character/scene/line has hit you?
Jane Burnham (palyed by Thora Birch)-- Generally, I think I am Jane -- angry, rebellious, insecure, alienated.
Ricky Fitts (played by Wes Bentley) -- Sometimes I feel like him -- eyeing the world with a different perception, pretending to be normal but would never truly into this society.
Angela Hayes (palyed by Mena Suvar) -- Admittedly, I act out like her -- with her confidence depends on others' desire on her.
Angela: This is my first time.
Lester: You're kidding.
Angela: I'm sorry. I still want to do it... I just thought I should tell you... you know, in case you wondered why I wasn't... better...
Carolyn Burnham (played by Annette Bening) -- fortunately I am less nervous than her, however, there are something we are in common when coping with stress:
Lester Burnham (played by Kevin Spacey) -- Sometimes, I feel like him, but only the him BEFORE he met Angela and Ricky.
Gifs will be credited tomorrow. None of the gifs are mine.