The film "American Beauty" is a five-time academy award-winning picture and for a very good reason. This film includes everything from well-developed characters to a theme very similar to real life. In fact, the movie focusing on "normal people" is what makes this picture so interesting. This is a movie about obsession, love, and death, fear and ironically about life and how to live it. In a way it's an instruction book on how to live life.
At the beginning the main Character, Lester Bernham, tells the viewer exactly what's going to happen at the end of the movie, he is going to die. And is implied that his daughter and her boyfriend killed him It seems pointless to stay and watch the rest of it but at the same time the viewer thinks to themselves "well maybe I"ll stay just to see why". Then, the movie unravels as the viewer begins to see themselves in the characters. .
Lester Bernham played by actor Kevin Spacey is a father and a husband who hates his job, who desires more of his dying relationships with his wife, Carolyn, and his daughter, Jane, and is desperately trying to figure out how his life became so dull and meaningless. Until he meets his daughter's friend, Angela, and he becomes entranced with her beauty. .
Carolyn Bernham is a realtor who competes with the "realtor king" and at a point tries desperately to beat her competitor at his own game. Later, she finds him attractive for his thoughts on being successful in his business and in a way falls in love with him. At times Carolyn seems angry and cold even though the "real" her is lost and venerable. .
Jane Bernham is a typical teenager depressed, self conscious, unreadable, and unpredictable. Until she finds comfort in her new neighbor Ricky whom at first admires her from afar by taping her through her window but is not afraid to go tell her that he does in fact admire her.
Angela, Mena Suvari, is Jane's best friend, is obsessed with herself.
