American Beauty Research Paper

American Beauty, written by Alan Ball and directed by Sam Mendes, invites the viewer to do one thing: look closer. Look closer at life, look closer at your surroundings, look closer at your possessions, and finally look closer at your loved ones. What is integral about the subject matter of the film is how applicable it is to almost anyone who watches it. The film’s grotesque depiction of American middle-class society is immediately very attractive, and the different elements such as the main character’s mid-life crisis, the young girls’ coming-of-age experiences and general family dynamics are very relatable to almost any viewer. As

“Beauty” by Tony Hoagland was written in 1998. In this poem, Hoagland expresses his feelings on how women care too much about physical appearances. Throughout his poem he tells the story through the eyes of a brother of a girl who learns to love herself for who she is. Hoagland’s poem stresses the importance that beauty goes deeper than the surface. Throughout his poem, Tony Hoagland uses many literary devices to perfect his poem. These devices include the message, tone, imagery, figures of speech, and personification.

American Beauty is widely described as a drama because it is a narrative that identifies relatable emotional struggles that persist in suburban life, yet American Beauty portrays so many other elements that could lead viewers to categorize the film into different subgenres based on intertwining conflicts and scenarios throughout the movie. Because of the untimely death of multiple major characters, the film could be deemed a tragedy; Jane and Ricky’s relationship displays elements that are common in romance films; Lester’s grim, yet humorously depressive perception of his life is typical of dark comedies; and the use irony, ridicule, and dry humor creates a satire of the American

In the end, the dead Lester explains how happy he was for his stupid little life and how it all was great (implying that everyone should be grateful for their lives.) However, many things in the film were not great circumstances that the characters should have been grateful for (American 3). I think the film would have benefited if he had explained that he was grateful for having the chance to feel alive again, and that he loved his wife and daughter and wished he could have shown them the way, as he was trying, and something along the lines of "keep the feeling of youth and passion alive in middle age" which is what I gained from the film. The theme of Ricky's voyeurism through the camera as a way to find beauty is also a little troubling. It is not explained as to why this medium is necessary. It seemed out of place in the story and took attention away to the things that were

There are a few issues in the film. At last, the dead Lester clarifies how happy he was for his doltish little life and how everything was incredible (suggesting that everybody ought to be thankful for their lives.) However, numerous things in the film were not extraordinary conditions that the characters ought to have been appreciative for (American 3). I think the film would have profited in the event that he had clarified that he was thankful for having the opportunity to feel alive once more, and that he cherished his better half and little girl and wished he could have demonstrated to them the path, as he was attempting, and something along the lines of "keep the feeling of youth and energy alive in middle age" which is the thing that

In 1999, Sam Mendes released his comedic drama film that was nominated for 8 Oscars and won 5, including Best Picture. The movie, American Beauty, is about two families whose members are all trying to achieve happiness in different ways. This takes place throughout the entire movie and explores the different ways people search for happiness, along with the positive and negative results of their actions. The theme of American Beauty is that the pursuit of happiness is the driving force in everyone’s life, but is overall an impossible task to complete unless it is through death. The film explores how each character is set on achieving happiness and how it is always the most important thing to them, no matter how it affects other people around

Sam Mendes, the author of the critically acclaimed film American Beauty mocks the suburban lifestyle through the medium of satire. His work won over the vast audiences’ hearts, time and well earned cash as his film grossed 356 million U.S dollars at the box office. American Beauty exposes the artificial identities that are subject to every aspect of suburban life and the diminishing artificial happiness that is created by the pursuit of the American lifestyle. Bluntly Lester defies all the suburban lifestyle guide and ultimately reaches true happiness which is presented as the moral alternative. Although critics and other analyzers of Sam Mendes’ piece over stride attempting to find a deeper meaning regarding sexuality which truly is a part

“American Beauty” is a 1999 film that relies on extended metaphor, character development, and themes to provide the audience with a relatable, emotional experience. The most important theme throughout the film is that nothing is as it seems. Buddy Kane’s motto: “In order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times” sums up this specific theme. Success to each character is different and to be achieved in a different way; however, the image projected produces more misery for the characters than success. Roses symbolic of love, purity, and beauty (Rose); yet, once touched, the beauty dissolves into the prick of the wild thorns scattered on the stem.

American beauty is a drama-comedy type film directed by Sam Mendes in 1999.The film won 5 academy awards in 1999 including that of best actor and best director. It follows the story of the Burnham family and specifically Lester Burnham, a middle aged American man who is facing a midlife crisis and is falling deeper and deeper into a pit of endless depression. Because of this he has become imprisoned by all aspects of his life. Mendes deliberately uses motifs and camera work to illustrate this theme of imprisonment to the viewer. As Lester makes changes in his life the theme changes from imprisonment to freedom which is shown by Mendes’ deliberate use of symbolism as well as Lester’s new confidence displayed by his dialogue and posture.

Winning a Golden Globe and Oscar in 2000 for Best Motion Picture – to name a few – American Beauty is an American drama starring Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham. Lester Burnham, a middle-aged depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to make some major changes in his life after becoming infatuated with his daughter’s attractive friend, Angela. When he drastically changes his life while in the midst of his mid-life crisis not only his wife, Carolyn, and daughter, Jane, affected but everyone around him as he goes through the stages of his mid-life crisis: Depression, Nostalgia, and Freedom.

American Beauty is more than a satire on suburban life, it is an allegory that asks: what is beauty? This films rich metaphors provide not only an obvious thorough storyline but also provide a rich subtext that explores themes such as life and death, infidelity, homosexuality, however most importantly beauty. The film’s tagline “Look closer...” reminds the audience to not only look at the misery in the characters lives and what they define as beauty, but the beauty and misery in the audience’s own lives. The film is also supposed to remind the audience that what they may want and desire is not always what they want and need subconsciously.

Fantasy, sitcom, thriller, or a moral fable? The answer is “all of the above” when attempting to categorize the film American Beauty into one genre. Some may say this movie is about a marriage gone very bad. Others claim it to be about the meaning of life. In my opinion, the film resists any one interpretation. While it is difficult to pinpoint the meaning of the movie, it is not difficult to conclude that each character is struggling with his or her own problems and that each character grows to a great extent throughout the film.

Throughout American history there have been many different family types. In these families types that society has created everyone has a specific role that they are pressured to play and most of the time feel like they will be judged if they don’t play their intended role. The only way for a society to change and evolve is for people to break the norms and step outside of the box. We must question what is truly right and wrong to create new ways of living. The Cycle of Socialization describes how a person can get stuck in the cultural norms and the the Cycle of Liberalization shows the process of someone breaking free from stereotypes and creating a new path for their life. The cycle of Socialization/ Liberation is displayed in all families. The family structure in the film American Beauty will be used as an example of the the above stated cycles.

The film American Beauty has so many different themes, but one of the most important is freedom. Because for the most part, the characters of the movie were feeling trapped in their life as a result of their concepts of success and beauty. Therefore, are somehow trying to find a way to free themselves from the miserable life that they had. The image of a plastic bag blowing in the wind shows precisely the freedom that the characters are looking. A freedom that comes from finding happiness and beauty on the simplest things, but not all of them could understand that.

Beauty is such an important part of our society, and particularly for women, beauty can have different meaning and purpose, from boosting self esteem and confidence, increase happiness and feelings of adequacy, or to achieving attractiveness that can capture attention and turn heads. With all the benefits that beauty can provide, it comes at a cost to many unsuspecting women. From images in fashion magazines, reality shows, to commercials, numerous women are constantly looking and working towards what can be characterized as that unattainable standards of beauty that is portrayed to them in these mediums. Women spend millions of dollars annually on beauty products for their hair, skin, nail and teeth, but far too many do not know of the negative consequences that can arise on that quest for beauty. More and more reports are showing that a lot of the products that promises to restore, revitalize, rejuvenate, and reverse what every beauty concern that you may have, are actually damaging your health and doing the opposite of what the product promises. Synthetic chemicals are in many beauty products and reports maintain that women put more than 500 of these chemicals on their bodies daily.