American Beauty - 8 years later

C

c.g._eads

Veteran
Although I believe it's en vogue to retroactively hate a movie you used to love these days, there is no movie that has fallen more victim to this than American Beauty. It seems like everybody hates this movie now. They hate Kevin Spacey's performance (which they used to love). They hate its potrayal of suburban America (which they used to love). They hate its quirkyness and its inventiveness. It's like it's turned into a completely different movie.

I bring this up because I recently introduced a friend to the movie for the first time. She had never seen it. After being seemingly completely unaffected by it, she said something very interesting. She said, "This is just like Desperate Housewives."

And that got me thinking. Pretty much every quirky take on anything in the last eight years has ripped off American Beauty (don't even get me started on the music). Because of all these clones, the original no longer seems original. And I think that has a lot to do with it. Also, I believe 9/11 had a lot to do with how we retroactively view this movie. Before 9/11 the littlest dumbest things could affect us. After it? We realized that the 'whoa is me' upper-middle class crowd realizing that their money couldn't buy them happiness resulting in a numbness to the world really wasn't worth pitying anymore. You got problems? So what? So does everyone.

I still like the movie but I admit that on re-viewing it, there's something missing. It doesn't hold up well. I'm wondering if anyone who's in the same boat (used to like it but no longer does) has any other theories.
 
I'm with Zak. I never liked the movie and I think everyone else is just catching up...:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
I saw it on TNT (I think) a week ago.

Still holds up for me.

Great performances all around. Awesome score. I don't know. Guess I'm in the minority here.

Your right though, it has had a huge influence on a great many films and filmmakers. It can't be hated that much.
 
I personally love the movie and have since my first viewing. The movie doesn't try to get anybody to believe that little things are important. Just listen to the closing narration by Spacey.

"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday."



Saying not to think about all the little bad things and just focus on all of the beauty the world has to offer.
 
I loved this movie when it came out. Recently, I decided to throw the DVD in for another viewing. I had to quit watching half way through. The acting which once was moving to me, now seemed over the top and sometimes out right bad. What was once inventive, now came across as heavy handed. It's rare for me to stop a film in the middle, but I couldn't take any more.
 
I think you can also look at Magnolia, Happiness, The Big Chill, Short Cuts, Parenthood, and a small team of other films that shot for the quirky emsemble film that was loved or hated.

I enjoy these films and though American Beauty had an incredible marketing strategy it was far from the best out of these films and definately was not the originator of this style. Magnolia and Happiness were both far superior films in the same category yet never got the hype AB did.

I don't even think I have a point here, just thought I'd babble for a minute anout nothing. I still like AB after all these years.
 
I really enjoy the performances, especially Chris Cooper. Frankly, I think I could watch Chris Cooper taking a sh*t and it would still be interesting. I also love the interplay between Annette Bening and Peter Gallagher's characters. It still cracks me up. All the actors really seem to dig into their roles and make them their own.
Sure, there is a certain soap opera quality. But so goes Six Feet Under, which was also written by Alan Ball, and one of my all-time favorite shows.
I like Conrad Hall's photography and also the soundtrack choices and placement.

I think, perhaps, the film might have been more substantive if there was a different director. Sam Mendes is fairly conventional in his filmmaking approach. He is never quite as deep and dark as I would want.
 
AloysiusK said:
I really enjoy the performances, especially Chris Cooper. Frankly, I think I could watch Chris Cooper taking a sh*t and it would still be interesting.
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lol

I second that, but I'd rather not chance it.:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)

Such an underrated actor. He makes it seem so effortless, the way he just embodies the characters he portrays.

He was absolutely brilliant in Adaptation.

Certainly the ace in the hole of American Beauty.
 
i still think the film holds up... so if television has bitten of from, thats typical but i don see where it has faults 8 years later....it not like it aged badly or anyhing it looks like it could have been made this year or next. i think the story works and is beautifully directed. a movie that has degraded to me is sixth sense. its a been there done that deal... i done care for the movie anymore nor the characters... the other feels real so whatever.
 
Fidelio said:
What was the incredible marketing strategy?
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If memory serves, the country was temporarily stunned by one image, the naked girl in a bed of roses. It was on every bilboard and print ad from LA to NY. It was one of the strongest film promo images since the jaws one-sheet. That's pretty strong marketing. The tv spots were heavily pushed as well. Just stating I thought it was a strong campaign. I mean...


DKAmericanBeauty640x1024.jpg
 
Naked woman in bed or roses? Damn, I thought that was Spacey...

I love the movie and still do, I don't think it's dated. The dialogue still makes me laugh.

Alveraz, glad you mentioned Parenthood - one of my favourites.
 
Chris Cooper from American Beauty to Adaptation... Now that is just a beautiful show of range and skill in my opinion.

Haven't seen the movie in a long time, but it holds a special place for me.

Jason
 
Although I believe it's en vogue to retroactively hate a movie you used to love these days, there is no movie that has fallen more victim to this than American Beauty.
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Nah, I hated it when it came out too. It's just 'Fight Club' for wimps.

One of the few movies I've ever seriously thought of walking out of in a cinema.
 
wow you must have super high standards i walked out of ghost rider not american ****ing beauty.
 
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