American Beauty

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Summary

This film does not fit snugly into a single category. It is at once comedy, tragedy and murder mystery, woven from a basketful of stories: the disintegration of a family, mid-life crises, a blossoming romance, a philosophical quest, an exposé of the American Dream, a struggle with identity. It is driven by the characters, but unusually is not short on plot. The result is an unconventional, sometimes uncomfortable film (no stone, however unpleasant or close to the bone, is left unturned), that dares to challenge the viewer, who is likely to have been drawn in by at least one of the characters.

The opening narrative informs us that we are about to witness events that took place in the last year of one man's life: "My name is Lester Burnham. I'm 42 years old. In less than a year, I'll be dead. In a way, I'm dead already." The story is set in and around his home, an immaculate, white house with a red door, enclosed by a white picket fence. He is married to the equally immaculate Carolyn Burnham and they have a teenage daughter, Jane. A new family, the Fitts, moves in next door. An altogether more insular trio (they have a teenage son, Ricky), it is immediately evident that they have skeletons in their closet, whereas the Burnhams effortlessly maintain the appearance of normality for the sake of the neighbours and Carolyn's career in real estate.

Behind the red door is a family falling apart at the seams. The dinner table is a battleground, where mother and father tear shreds out of one another's estranged lives and daughter retreats into a remarkably balanced yet flawed reality ? she has no notion of being loved. Carolyn is only driven by success and Lester has just had enough. Everyone is unhappy.

Lester proceeds to experience a series of awakenings, which in turn bring him to a new awareness of his marriage, desires, values and concepts of happiness and beauty. He makes friends with the cool, confident Ricky Fitts (who supplies him with drugs) and becomes a rebel, no longer even pretending to accept his family's criticisms. He is like a teenager with no respect, but this time round he's got money and control ? he is in charge. He sheds all traces of adult responsibility, buys the sports car of his dreams, smokes pot, gets fit and works in a burger bar. This is a man whose only goal in life is to seduce his daughter's nubile friend, Angela, who to him is the very personification of beauty.

Of course, all is not what it seems, and as the layers are stripped away to reveal the true nature of each of the characters, we see that Lester still has one more discovery to make before he dies. It is in his last moments that he finally sees things for what they are.

Background

This is British theatre director Sam Mendes' first excursion into filmmaking. Steven Spielberg (DreamWorks) and the producers approached him having seen his hit Broadway production of Cabaret. Mendes believes that he brought a clear and objective perspective to what is essentially a film about American people. However, he prefers to think of it as a film that "features" America as a character but is really about "one man's search for redemption? symbolising the malaise of modern man".

Screenwriter Alan Ball had already established himself as a successful playwright and scriptwriter on a number of American TV sitcoms when he came to write the screenplay for American Beauty (originally called American Rose). He describes himself as "half Lester, half Ricky", which may account for the way in which these characters emerge with the same appreciation of beauty. Their vision is helped along by an ability to see life as it really is: one day, it will come to an end. Ball says, "I think you have to have a deep and fundamental acceptance of mortality to really be able to see what's beautiful in life? We live in a culture that goes out of its way to deny mortality."

Apart from the film's inevitably wide audience (and success at the Oscar's), its significance can be gauged in terms of an enduring quality that is likely to be felt by generations of "seekers" to come - ordinary people asking universal questions. The viewer is forced to consider his own values at the end of the film, as Lester Burnham's voice from the dead confirms what you already know: "You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure? but don't worry? you will someday." The tag line of the film is "?look closer". Alan Ball says, "If there's any theme to this movie, it's that nothing is what it appears to be on the surface. That there is a life behind things and it's much more interesting and real than the veneer of reality that we all sort of tacitly agree to accept."

Questions for discussion

1. The advertisement for this film (a picture of a young woman's torso with her hand holding a red rose) was clearly designed to suggest that the American Beauty is Angela. How does the film set about challenging the assumption that beauty is about youth and good looks?

2. Identify the core values (or absence of values) that define each of the main characters. How do these change throughout the movie?

3. Near the beginning of the film we see Lester in his office, gazing into a computer screen that is covered by columns of figures ? his reflection is like a face behind bars, picking up on the theme of imprisonment. In what ways are the other characters imprisoned?

4. What do the roses signify?

5. "Never underestimate the power of denial" (Ricky Fitts to Lester on how his father willingly believes the lies fed to him). How does this statement apply to the other characters?

6. "They call me The Seeker. . ." Lester sings along with the radio. What is he looking for? What are the other characters trying to find?

7. What do you think Lester was like as a young man? What expectations do you think he may have had?

8. How would you describe Lester's behaviour after his 'awakening'? Why does he behave in this way?

9. "I'm just an ordinary guy with nothing to lose." How does this realisation affect Lester's relationships with Carolyn and Jane?

10. Consider how and why the following are used in the film:

    • music

    • Ricky's video camera

11. What characteristics are common to each member of the Burnham family?

12. For each character, identify what they are afraid of. What does the fear result in?

13. Ricky talks about the day that he realised that there was, ". . .this entire life behind things, and this incredibly benevolent force that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid. Ever." What had he just seen? Why did this experience make him aware of a 'benevolent force'?

14. Oscar Wilde: "In this world, there are only two tragedies: one, is not getting what one wants and the other, is getting it." What consequences arise from Lester and Carolyn getting what they want?

15. Look at Ephesians 6:1-4. How does this view of parenting compare to the example we have seen in American Beauty?

16. How would go about convincing someone of the benefits of putting others' needs before your own?

17. What do you think beauty is? How can we show that God is the originator of this concept?

18. What conclusions does the film draw on the nature of happiness? Does it have anything to say on the purpose of life? How do these ideas compare to those expressed in the Bible on how we are to live our lives?

19. What do you think may have happened to the Burnhams if Lester had not been shot? What would you like to say to them?

20. Ecclesiastes is written from the perspective of an old man who has seen much of what life has to offer. Similarly, American Beauty looks at Lester's life with the hindsight of death. How is it possible to bring home to someone the inevitability of death in order to change their perspective on how life should be lived?

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