American Beauty Essay

The film “American Beauty” is a motivational and inspirational movie based around the modern day-to-day lives of two families in a middle class suburban life. This movie shines by showing viewers an introspective on the emotional and mental challenges that the average person goes through internally that challenge them and who they are. While all of the characters have their own background and context behind their motivations in life the main character’s is by far the most interesting. Lester Burnham

A minority of critics and movie analysts have attempted to pick at the sexual aspect of American Beauty in hopes of uncovering a hidden meaning instead they are simply over reaching. American Beauty is a satire that aims to shed some much needed light on the hidden world that lives in the American suburban setting. Successfully accomplished by Mendes through the exposure of certain topics and sexuality undoubtably being one of them. Ricky’s father Colonel Frank Fitts a military man who brings his

version of beauty because of how often it changes. Society’s current version of beautiful includes being photoshopped, participating in extreme dieting or exercise compulsion, having plastic surgery and other surgeries such as a gastric bypass or bariatric surgery (Afful). They aren’t actually the person we see in the magazines, so why are we basing our entire standard of American beauty around a group of females whose BMI is under the average? Shouldn’t we be focusing it on the American

The film American Beauty, directed by Sam Mendes is a film about imprisonment and escape from imprisonment (Mendes, 1999). American Beauty explores the breakdown of a suburban family man whose life journeys from self loathing and emptiness to freedom and liberation but at the ultimate cost of his life. Mendes effectively employs a range of techniques to help convey the meaning of this film such as set design, camera angles, colour and soundtrack. Cinema often uses structured set design and camera

More than just a parodic take on suburban life, the film American Beauty speaks about looking closer at what we desire and believe will bring fulfillment. It depicts the perspective of very different characters, in which many share the similarity of chasing these beautiful dreams in an attempt to replace their weaknesses. As these characters get a glimpse of their dreams, they begin to discover how deceptive their idea of beauty is. For the audience, these dreams demonstrate how they are nothing

The Color Red in American Beauty "The beauty that addresses itself to the eyes is only the spell of the moment; the eye of the body is not always that of the soul." George Sand hit the nail right on the head when he said this in 1872. Appearance versus reality has been a central theme in many American creative works including the film American Beauty. American Beauty is a film that delves into your typical, middle-class suburban American home and slowly uncovers all of the abnormalities that

There are many connecting themes in American Beauty. Through plot, characterization, and cinematography these themes are conveyed well. Overall, this film is highly successful in layered themes and counter themes. The main themes that the film draws attention to throughout the movie are that of materialism, appearance versus reality, denial and repression, control versus chaos, loneliness versus feeling connected, change and searching, and beauty (subjective and objective). Each character is an agent

American Beauty Things Aren’t Always, As They Seem American beauty (1999, Sam Mendes) is a very unique film with many different themes. The main characters in the film, Lester (Kevin Spacey) and Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening) prove that there is a big difference in appearance versus reality. With the help of Colonel Frank Fitts, (Wes Bentley) we learn that people cannot just be judged by their outer appearance, but rather by what’s inside, because people are not always what they seem. Lester

Carolyn Burnham in American Beauty Directed by Sam Mendes in 1999, 'American Beauty' is set in a seemingly typical suburban neighbourhood that gives an in depth look beneath the surface. An ordinary, financially well-to-do family is followed through the point of view of the father (Kevin Spacey). He narrates his life and lets the audience in on all of his quirks, flaws and limitations, as well as those of his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) and his daughter (Thora Birch)

people are able to fathom. Perfect is an expectation that you can’t achieve in life until you realize to accept yourself for who you are. The conjecture of beauty and our bodies is set at a level that is insurmountable. To fathom this we can look at today’s society, if we aren’t what society wants we aren’t accepted. Society’s idealistic view on beauty is something we should not tolerate because we should accept people for who they are within themselves. In the dramatic monologues “Barbie Doll,” “Cinderella