Eye of the Beholder
Beauty Signals Start of Oscar Chase

I try not to come off as one of those art flick snobs. You know the type: the one who tells you why you should appreciate a movie, as if he expects you not to understand. Nevertheless, I want you to see American Beauty. It is a film of rare insight and poetry, but here in the Heartland some may not be able to see past its surface.

Let me say right now that, yes, American Beauty discusses sex in frank (and sometimes graphic) ways. The language of the movie is not appropriate for teens, even though some of the main characters are high school age. This is not a film I would take my parents to see. But beneath this controversial exterior, there is a deep, moving, and highly intelligent film. It's a movie that questions life, in all its beauty and ugliness.

Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a middle aged man who is going through the motions in his life. He has a wife, Carolyn (Annette Benning), and daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), who ignore him. His career is stagnant and unfulfilling. If anyone was overdue for a mid-life crisis, it's Lester. And his whole world changes when he sees Jane's new high school classmate, Angela (Mena Suvari).

While Lester struggles with his middle-aged fantasies, Jane is being stalked by their new next-door neighbor Ricky (Wes Bentley). Ricky is a budding filmmaker, who views the world's beauty through the lens of his video camera. He sees beauty where others do not, and thus sets his sights on Jane rather than her more conventionally beautiful friend Angela.

This isn't a story about lust or passion or obsession. It's about beauty, in all its various forms. As Lester struggles to find happiness, his wife obsesses on "things" (cars, sofas, dinners). Her need for power and status lead her to infidelity. Lester quits his job and reverts to his happy childhood (including taking a job at a burger joint). Jane becomes part of Ricky's world, enlightened with a new standard of beauty.

Writer Alan Ball has crafted a wonderful script, filling it with laughter and tears. The dialogue is superb, with so many thought-provoking quotes you'll find yourself mulling them over for days. There are moments that make you hold your breath in anticipation. Director Sam Mendes, likewise, lends a view to the film that makes it visually striking. I especially loved his use of diffused lighting and rose petals to denote fantasy sequences.

The acting in American Beauty is Oscar material. Spacey gives a clever and funny performance. He never makes his desires for young Angela seem dirty, but sad and sympathetic. Benning is a whirlwind of mania, materialism, and greed. Birch is delightful in her teenage insecurities. Suvari, as the Lolita-temptress, is both engaging and seductive. Her own insecurities make her fascinating.

The real surprise of the film, however, is Bentley. His role as Ricky is riveting. He becomes the centerpiece of the entire film, bringing freedom to the characters he meets while trying to escape the shadow of his father (played by Chris Cooper). At once both frightening and sympathic, he takes the role of a social outcast and makes it something we aspire to become.

It's safe to say that American Beauty isn't for everyone. Those people willing to tolerate the sexual themes may not appreciate the different levels at work in this film. And vice versa. It's not the ordinary Hollywood fare. But then, who wants to be ordinary?

MY RATING: 10 out of 10.

RATED: R
RUN TIME: 118 min.