What is American Beauty About?
“American Beauty” is a film that delves into the complex themes of suburban discontent, beauty, and the pursuit of happiness. The story revolves around Lester Burnham, a middle-aged executive who is disillusioned with his mundane job and trapped in an unhappy marriage to his neurotic and ambitious wife, Carolyn. Their daughter, Jane, harbors resentment towards her parents and struggles with low self-esteem.
The Burnhams’ lives take an unexpected turn when a new family moves in next door. Retired Marine colonel Frank Fitts, his withdrawn wife Barbara, and their teenage son Ricky disrupt the seemingly tranquil neighborhood. Ricky, an eccentric character, documents his surroundings with a camcorder while using his catering jobs as a cover for his marijuana dealing.
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As the narrative unfolds, Lester becomes infatuated with Jane’s friend, Angela, and begins to fantasize about her. Carolyn, on the other hand, engages in an affair with a married business rival. Lester’s discontent reaches a tipping point when he is informed of his impending layoff, prompting him to blackmail his employer for a generous severance package. With newfound freedom, Lester embarks on a journey of self-discovery.
Lester buys his dream car, starts working out, and embraces a rebellious attitude. He begins smoking marijuana supplied by Ricky and flirts with Angela, hoping to improve his physique to win her affection. However, Jane forms a romantic relationship with Ricky, causing a rift between the girls. Alongside these personal developments, tensions rise within the Fitts family, as Frank suspects an inappropriate relationship between Lester and Ricky.
The characters’ lives intertwine in unexpected ways as their desires, secrets, and frustrations come to the surface. Carolyn’s infidelity is revealed when she and her lover visit Lester’s workplace. Frank, consumed by his own prejudices and suspicions, wrongly assumes a sexual relationship between Lester and Ricky based on footage he discovers. This leads to a confrontation and Ricky being thrown out of his home.
The narrative reaches its climax when various characters confront their own internal struggles. Lester rejects Frank’s romantic advances, choosing to comfort him as a friend instead. Lester then finds Angela in a vulnerable state, offering her solace and realizing her true innocence beneath her façade of experience. However, before any further developments can occur, an unknown assailant shoots Lester in the back of the head, resulting in his death.
The aftermath of Lester’s murder reveals the impact on those left behind. Jane and Ricky discover his lifeless body, Carolyn mourns in anguish, and Frank, wearing surgical gloves and bloodied, returns home with a missing gun from his collection. The film concludes with Lester’s narration reflecting on the beauty that still exists in the world despite his demise.
“American Beauty” explores the complexities of human desires, societal pressures, and the search for meaning and beauty in a suburban setting. It challenges conventional norms and delves into the darker aspects of human nature, ultimately questioning the definition of true happiness and the pursuit of an idealized American dream.
American Beauty Ending Explained
In 1999, the film “American Beauty” directed by Sam Mendes had a profound impact on popular culture. It was groundbreaking, daring, and emotionally powerful. College students would watch the movie repeatedly to absorb its overwhelming sense of dissatisfaction with life, and elements from the film became embedded in popular consciousness. For instance, the television show “Family Guy” parodied the iconic dancing plastic bag scene from “American Beauty.” The film received critical acclaim and won eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Actor for Kevin Spacey. However, Spacey’s later sexual assault allegations have tainted his association with the film. In May of the previous year, Spacey was charged in court in relation to these accusations.
Apart from the controversy surrounding Kevin Spacey, “American Beauty” struggles to resonate with modern audiences due to its explicit exploration of cultural dissatisfaction specific to the late 1990s. The story is set in an affluent suburb and follows the life of Lester, a middle-aged man experiencing a severe midlife crisis. His wife is distant and more focused on selling houses than on their relationship, while his teenage daughter is disconnected and obsessed with cosmetic surgery. A new neighbor introduces Lester to marijuana, and his sexual interest in his daughter’s friend rejuvenates his passion for life.
During the late 1990s, there was a cultural shift towards deconstructing established norms, and popular entertainment became self-aware and dismissive of mainstream culture. Independent films gained prominence over big-budget blockbusters, and alternative rock music emerged as a preferred genre. The prevalent ethos of the time was a rejection of the status quo, with a focus on creating outsider art and distancing oneself from corporate influence. This contrasts sharply with the present-day media landscape, where fandoms often idolize well-funded studio productions.
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“American Beauty” served as a reflection of the late 1990s by dismantling the popularized notion of comfortable suburban living that had come under scrutiny during that era. It showcased the unhappiness festering in affluent neighborhoods, where marriages were falling apart, illegal desires were concealed, and bigotry and oppression persisted. The film exposed the darker underbelly of the post-World War II American dream, which the conservative mindset of the 1980s attempted to preserve. By the end of the Clinton administration, the disillusionment had reached its peak.
In the film, the character played by Wes Bentley represents a retreat from this suburban discontent. He embraces isolation and entrepreneurship, relying on his own sense of beauty and making money by dealing drugs. Near the conclusion, he implores Lester’s daughter to run away with him, signifying a desire to escape from the suffocating environment. However, as tensions escalate, the film culminates in tragic events. Lester, driven by his infatuation with the teenage girl, realizes the consequences of his actions. Simultaneously, the misunderstanding between Lester and his neighbor, played by Chris Cooper, leads to a violent confrontation. The movie ends with Lester’s posthumous narration, leaving his wife, portrayed by Annette Bening, to grieve. Some viewers may have desired a more reflective moment for her character.
Over time, “American Beauty” has been subject to critical reevaluation and has quickly dated. The once daring and edgy aspects of the film now elicit discomfort, and its depiction of suburban discontent has been criticized for its heavy-handedness. In a retrospective article, it was noted that the film’s attempt to portray escape and non-conformity was ironically executed within the confines of polished, conventional Hollywood filmmaking. The film’s distant and sarcastic tone has also been a subject of criticism.
Moreover, the societal and economic changes that unfolded in the two decades following the film’s release have further diminished its relevance. The idea of happily
American Beauty Plot
The movie plot is centered around the life of Lester Burnham, a middle-aged executive who despises his job and is trapped in an unhappy marriage with his neurotic and ambitious wife, Carolyn. Their daughter, Jane, feels alienated from her parents and struggles with low self-esteem.
The Burnhams’ lives take an unexpected turn when a new family moves in next door. The Fitts family consists of retired Marine colonel Frank, his emotionally distant wife Barbara, and their teenage son Ricky. Ricky has a unique hobby of documenting the world around him with a camcorder, using his part-time catering jobs as a front for his marijuana dealing. Frank is a strict disciplinarian who has previously sent Ricky to a psychiatric hospital and military academy.
As the story unfolds, various relationships and conflicts develop. Lester becomes infatuated with Angela, Jane’s friend, and starts having sexual fantasies about her. Carolyn engages in an affair with Buddy Kane, a married business rival. Lester, facing the news of his impending layoff, blackmails his supervisor for a generous severance package and takes a job at a drive-through restaurant. He begins working out and smoking marijuana supplied by Ricky, all in an effort to improve his appearance and attract Angela.
The dynamics between the characters become increasingly complex. Jane starts a romantic relationship with Ricky, which Angela disapproves of. Lester discovers Carolyn’s infidelity when she and Buddy visit his restaurant, and he takes a smug satisfaction in the revelation. Buddy, fearing the consequences of a costly divorce, ends the affair, leaving Carolyn humiliated and frustrated by her lack of professional success.
Meanwhile, Frank grows suspicious of the friendship between Lester and Ricky. He stumbles upon footage captured by Ricky of Lester lifting weights naked, and mistakenly concludes that they are involved in a sexual relationship. In a fit of rage, Frank accuses Ricky of prostitution, and Ricky falsely admits to it, provoking Frank to throw him out of the house.
The mounting tensions reach a breaking point. Carolyn, overwhelmed and distraught, retrieves a handgun from her car. Jane and Angela argue over their involvement with Lester when Ricky interrupts, urging Jane to leave with him for New York City and harshly criticizing Angela. Frank, filled with conflicting emotions, approaches Lester and breaks down in tears, seeking comfort. However, his emotions lead him to make a misguided attempt to kiss Lester, who gently rejects him. Frank walks away into the rain.
Alone in the dark, Lester finds Angela and consoles her, assuring her that she is beautiful and far from ordinary. They share their frustrations and desires, and as they begin to get intimate, Angela admits that she is still a virgin, which surprises Lester. Realizing her innocence behind the facade of experience, he cannot go through with it and comforts her instead. Angela goes to the bathroom, and as Lester looks at a family photograph with a smile, an unseen figure shoots him in the back of the head at close range.
Ricky and Jane discover Lester’s lifeless body, while Carolyn, filled with regret, sobs in her closet, discarding the gun she had taken. Frank, covered in blood and wearing surgical gloves, returns home with a missing gun from his collection, suggesting his involvement in the tragic event.
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The movie concludes with Lester’s narration, reflecting on the meaningful experiences in his life and expressing happiness that there is still beauty in the world, despite his untimely death.
American Beauty Who Killed Lester
In the movie “American Beauty,” the character Lester Burnham is ultimately killed by Colonel Frank Fitts, the father of Ricky Fitts, Lester’s neighbor. The events leading up to Lester’s death involve a series of conflicts and tensions among the characters.
Throughout the film, Frank Fitts exhibits controlling and abusive behavior towards his son, Ricky. Frank holds deep-seated prejudices and is highly disturbed by his own repressed homosexual desires. He becomes increasingly suspicious of the relationship between Ricky and Lester, mistakenly interpreting their friendship as a sexual one.
In a pivotal scene, Frank discovers footage captured by Ricky of Lester working out naked in his garage. Misinterpreting this as evidence of a sexual relationship, Frank erupts in anger and confronts Ricky, accusing him of prostitution. Ricky, in a rebellious and goading manner, falsely admits to the accusation, provoking Frank further.
The tension between Frank and Lester reaches its climax during a rainy night. Frank, overwhelmed by his conflicting emotions, approaches Lester, tentatively seeking comfort. However, his feelings lead him to make a misguided attempt to kiss Lester. Lester gently rebuffs Frank, clarifying the misunderstanding and expressing that he has misinterpreted their connection.
Following this rejection, Frank walks away into the rain, emotionally distraught. The movie then shifts its focus to Lester’s encounter with Angela, Jane’s friend. They share a moment of vulnerability and connection, but as they are about to become intimate, Angela confesses that she is still a virgin. This revelation surprises Lester, and he realizes the innocence behind Angela’s façade of experience. Unable to go through with their encounter, Lester comforts Angela instead.
While Angela goes to the bathroom, Lester sits on the couch, smiling at a family photograph. In a shocking turn of events, an unseen figure shoots Lester in the back of the head at point-blank range. The identity of the shooter is revealed later to be Colonel Frank Fitts.
The reasons behind Frank’s decision to kill Lester are complex and can be attributed to his own internal conflicts, including his repressed homosexuality, his distorted view of morality, and his misguided interpretation of Ricky and Lester’s relationship. Frank’s intense emotions and inability to reconcile his desires lead him to commit this violent act.
The aftermath of Lester’s death is depicted through the reactions of Ricky, Jane, and Carolyn. Ricky and Jane find Lester’s lifeless body, while Carolyn, consumed by grief and remorse, sits in her closet, discarding the handgun she had taken. Meanwhile, Frank, covered in blood and wearing surgical gloves, returns home, indicating his involvement in the murder.
The movie leaves the audience with the tragic conclusion that Lester’s life was cut short due to the collision of personal conflicts and the destructive actions of Colonel Frank Fitts, revealing the dark undercurrents that exist within seemingly ordinary lives.
American Beauty Cast
American Beauty Watch
The film “American Beauty” is available for purchase on various digital platforms, including Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and YouTube. These platforms offer the option to download the movie for permanent access. Additionally, the film can be rented on Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Apple TV for temporary viewing through online streaming.
By visiting the respective websites or mobile applications of Apple TV, Google Play Movies, or YouTube, users can search for “American Beauty” and find the film listed among the available titles. They can then choose the desired option of purchasing or renting the movie, depending on their preference.
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