Just finished American beauty for the second time after watching it while I was in college. Thought it was an absolutely beautiful movie. I usually can guess a movies IMDb rating and meta critic rating fairly decently, but this time my ratings were significantly higher. I had some thoughts on the move that I hadn’t seen elsewhere and wanted to read your guys thoughts.
I thought the movie was roughly half critique, half other stuff. I think the title, American beauty was the critique. “American beauty” is not actual beauty, “beauty is everywhere”. I think many of the characters symbolize this as well.
Caroline was obsessed with “the appearance of success”. She valued that over her marriage and her happiness. Her ambitions were her real estate reputation, material things like the expensive couch, and other stuff that I can’t remember immediately after watching,
The colonel was fragile masculinity among other things. The emphasis on guns, homophobia (in 1999 was probably much worse) and of being a man I think are old mantras associated with America and often times success and happiness in america.
Angela represented the shallowness of wanting to appear pretty and image obsessed through her desire to be unique and desired by boys/men.
Lester for the majority of the movie I thought represented lust, but the ending really through me for a whirl. He clearly had obtained happiness and it was once he finally got over his thing for Angela. If anyone can provide any more analysis that would be awesome (obviously doesn’t have to be within my theory). He ended up finally coming to terms with the same perspective as Ricky.
Ricky and jane represented actual beauty. They were “freaks” and “ugly” in the minds of others but they were truly happy with each other and even though people like her best friend Angela thought they were freaks for dating they did it because it made them feel happy and they were vulnerable with each other, not because of metrics measured by society.
If anyone also has input for the roses or the color red, I’d love to hear it. Again I thought it was lust since it was in every Angela fantasy, but there’s actually roses in the background of the kitchen when they are no longer thinking about sex and just having a nice moment. Not long after, Caroline arrives home and is also wearing a red dress and red lipstick. Then, a few scenes later if not the next one, while Lester is remembering all the of the happiest moments of his life aright before he gets shot, he stares at a picture of his family right in front of the red roses. His last “happy memories” is also of is wife and daughter. The blood on the wall is also red but I’m unsure what, if it does, add anything. I’m thinking the roses actually represent love? That once Lester finds out Angela’s a virgin he obviously doesn’t want to take away her innocence, because he actually loves her. Caroline wears the red dress right before he looks at his family portrait in front of the red roses because he also remembers/possibly does at the end love her.
Near the beginning of the film, I think when the gay neighbors are doing something, Caroline is also picking red roses, but we never see her actually touch them. Idk what to make of it.
Just some reflections immediately after watching. I’m trying to do this after movies but none of my friends care about movies in the same way. Lemme know your thoughts and please teach me something!
Submitted January 31, 2020 at 04:34AM by shredzeppelin240 https://ift.tt/2uRPfJ5