I saw American Beauty the other night on video and liked it a lot. There is one overriding reason for this: I identified with the Kevin Spacey character to an almost eery extent. Not that I fantasise about teenage girls, mind you (though, like Jimmy Carter, I do know the feeling of forbidden sexual desire).
I must say on reflexion though, that Annette Bening's character was a cliche. She wasn't provided with redeeming, or even human, traits. Just a mindless selfish oppressor. Made it too easy on Kevin Spacey to look justified in his disgust for her. (Same with his job in fact, but that's more OK, since it wasn't as central to the story).
I also found the lyrical waxing on 'beauty' to be somewhat forced and disconnected. An unnecessary and too obvious bid to make the film more art-like.
Nor was the ending compelling. Why does there have to be violent death in Hollywood movies?
I marvel at Spacey though.
