American Beauty Analysis Essay Example

The Cherry Orchard with Judi Dench at Chichester Festival Theatre. However, American Beauty marks Mendes' directorial debut film. This dark comedy humorously portrays various life struggles.

The comedic arguments between Lester Burnham and his wife Carolyn in American Beauty are depicted humorously. The movie features Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham, Annette Bening as Carolyn Burnham, Thora Birch as Jane Burnham, Wes Bentley as Ricky Fitts, Mena Suvari as Angela Hayes, Peter Gallagher as Buddy Kane, Allison Jahney as Barbara Fitts, Chris Cooper as Colonel Fitts, Scott Bakula as Jim #1, and Sam Robards as Jim #2. Critics praised the film highly and described the reviews for it as "spectacular". According to Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw, American Beauty is a stylish and intelligent satire that won five major Academy Awards due to the power of love. Jonathan Ross proclaimed it to be "The first genuinely great film of the new millennium". The Sunday Mirror gave it a 5-star rating and labeled it "Unmissable", while The Sun declared it "...the best film of the year!". Despite its comedic nature, American Beauty aims to be taken seriously.

The opening scene features Jane, a young brunette named Thora Birch, expressing her disapproval of her father, Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey. She addresses the camera directly, stating that she needs a better role model and not someone who is awkward around girls. Lester shares her sentiment, believing that he is already dead in many ways and will be dead within a year. Fortunately, Lester decides to enjoy life a bit before succumbing to the monotony of suburbia. However, things take a turn for the worse, or better depending on one's

perspective, when Lester's wife Carolyn Burnham, played by Annette Bening, forces him to attend a school basketball game. It is during this game that Lester becomes captivated by a beautiful blonde cheerleader.

Lester is so sexually attracted to Angela Hayes that he enters a vivid erotic daydream. When he snaps back to reality, his dormant free-spirited nature is awakened. To start, he puts his unpleasant wife in her place. Then, he deals with the idiots at his job and trades his mundane routine for a flashy 1970s muscle car - much to the embarrassment of his family. Within a few weeks, Lester becomes a lone rebel amongst the conventional suburban life. The specific scenes I am examining in American Beauty are scenes 26 and 27, which occur just before the End Credits (approximately).

6-7 minutes). I have selected these particular moments because they contain a gripping plot twist and an astonishing conclusion to a highly enjoyable film written by the brilliant screenwriter Alan Ball. The entire film revolves around this specific sequence and explores themes of personal transformation (Lester discovering his true self), intense emotions (Colonel Fitts exhibiting homophobia and struggling with his own feelings), and mortality (Lester's impending death is established from the beginning of the movie). All of these elements take place inside a Mercedes Benz, with Carolyn's eyes being seen through the reflection in the rear-view mirror.

She turns her head to gaze through the window, noting the red door of the Burnham house which stands out even amid the pouring rain, contrasting against the dreary colors of the house. The door appears to transcend this reality. The music evokes a feeling of sadness and

eeriness. The sound of rain hitting the car is audible. All these elements - the door, the music, and the rain - undoubtedly foreshadow what is about to unfold. In the kitchen of the Burnham house, a few moments later, Angela is seated at the kitchen counter.

The rain outside can still be heard, heavy and symbolizing sadness and a feeling of being trapped. Nobody wants to venture out in the rain. In the background, Angela's red roses are barely visible, while all other colors seem dull, including clothing, makeup, and mise-en-scene. This intentional choice highlights the prominent presence of the color red in the frame. At the edge of the counter (off frame), something catches his attention, prompting him to reach for it. It turns out to be a framed photograph. As he lifts it up, the music resumes playing, but this time with a slightly more upbeat tone that evokes happy memories within the audience.

Lester comes across a photo in the movie. The photo captures Lester, Carolyn, and Jane enjoying themselves at an amusement park several years ago. What stands out is their evident happiness in the picture. Lester takes a seat at the kitchen table to closely inspect the photo. During this moment, he seems to have aged and gained wisdom. A deep smile then emerges from him, reflecting a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. This signifies the end of something and suggests that he is now ready for what lies ahead.

Following a brief pause, the protagonist finds himself with a gun barrel pointed at the back of his head. The camera then shifts its focus to a vase on the counter

containing fresh-cut roses, their intense crimson color standing out against the white tile wall. Accompanied by tense and ambiguous music, silence suddenly takes over before an unsettling gunshot echoes through the air, leaving an impactful impression on viewers. As blood splatters onto the tile, mirroring the deep redness of the roses, it serves as a symbolic representation of Lester's emotional state (blooming). Shortly after, the scene transitions to the foyer of the Burnham house.

Ricky and Jane descend the stairs together. The atmosphere is filled with ghostly sounds, creating an eerie feeling associated with death or spirits. Moments later, Ricky reaches the kitchen in Burnham house. He opens the door leading from the dining room and pauses.

Jane emerges from behind him, both of them wearing muted clothing that further accentuates the vibrant red of the scene. The music resumes, now with a touch of sadness. From their perspective, they witness a gruesome sight: a pool of blood slowly accumulating on the kitchen table. Ricky enters the kitchen and cautiously approaches Lester's motionless body, his eyes wide but devoid of fear (he can perceive the contentment on Lester's expression).

After Jane follows him, Ricky kneels in shock. He gazes at Lester's unseen face and then smiles ever so slightly. From Ricky's point of view, Lester looks back at us with lifeless eyes but the same slight smile. The scene transitions to Jane's bedroom in the Burnham house at night.

Ricky and Jane are lying curled up on Jane's bed, both fully clothed. Suddenly, they hear a gunshot coming from downstairs, causing them to exchange alarmed glances.

The scene then transitions to Burnham House's bathroom at night.

Angela is standing in front

of the mirror, fixing her make-up, but then she hears the gunshot once more. This startles Angela, who turns around, feeling scared. (It is impossible for the gunshot to have come from her). At Burnham house during nighttime, Carolyn moves slowly towards the red door. She is completely soaked, wearing a crimson dress that matches the pool of blood witnessed earlier.

She tightly clutches her purse, pondering who shot him as the gunshot resounds once more. The scene shifts to Fitts house, specifically the Colonel's study at night, where the wet Colonel enters.

He is wearing latex gloves and his t-shirt is covered in blood as he paces in front of an open gun case, where a gun is noticeably absent. In the Burnham house's master bedroom at night, Carolyn enters, gasping and holding tightly onto her purse.

She shuts the door and recalls her possession of a firearm. She opens the closet door and forcefully places the purse into a hamper. Then, she suddenly becomes aware of Lester's scent and desperately grabs as many of his garments as possible, bringing them close to her and burying her face within them. She falls to her knees, dragging down several items of clothing with her, and starts crying loudly, shedding numerous tears reminiscent of heavy rainfall. Her red dress once again contrasts with the muted colors, much like the blood and roses, but this time our sympathy is directed towards her. Ultimately, upon examining the essential cinematic elements of American Beauty, I can confidently state that the utilization of mise-en-scene in this particular sequence has truly enhanced the film's impact.

The film intentionally uses the color red to draw attention

to important elements such as love, hate, and anger. Red is prominently shown in most frames, particularly in relation to Carolyn. This suggests that Carolyn plays a significant role in Lester "cracking" and symbolizes her disrespect for him, as seen in her infidelity. The presence of roses also connects different scenes together. Additionally, sound plays a crucial role in setting the mood, with gentle and slow music creating a delicate atmosphere.

There are subtle changes in tone that may not be consciously noticeable, but attentive listeners can detect a contented or solemn shift. These changes are reflected in both the non-diegetic sound, which includes music and voiceover from Lester, and the 'in-frame' Lester. It is intriguing to observe the contrast between Lester's voiceover narration, where he appears mature and wise, and his on-screen character.

While the character portrayed seems to possess self-amusement, Lester, who is also present in the frame, exhibits a more youthful disposition. Only moments before being shot, his true age becomes apparent. The diegetic sound, including speech, gunshots, and rain, is distinct but carries an airy quality akin to echoes.

It doesn't matter, as it eliminates any fear in the audience, allowing the story to effortlessly pass through us like rain. This leaves us with a sense of contentment, and he is now free.