I’m ready! Ready to be dragged through the mud for what I’m about to say. And you know what, I don’t really care. This has to be said. AMERICAN BEAUTY is anything but! It’s possibly the most cliché, stereotypical and politically correct piece of shit I’ve ever seen. Yet, it’s received tons of awards, nominations and kudos from the critics, right? Well, there’s a simple answer really. Hollywood elitists have always held a movie that denigrates or degrades the family model as much as this does in high regard. And since filmmakers like this are so twisted themselves, they delight in depicting us (i.e. normal people) to be as warped as they are. However, this is NOT how most people act. The sad part is, Hollywood has been telling us for so long how to live that we don’t even question it. And when a movie like this is so utterly deplorable and without redeeming value, we’re expected to just embrace it, as many have already. It’s as if we’re afraid to say, “No, that’s not right,” or, “No, I don’t agree.” We’ve all become so passive really that we hardly seem to realize it. How else would crap like this get so far if this weren’t the case?

      In the film, there are no truly likable characters, except for maybe Kevin Spacey, but even that’s a stretch. I don’t consider becoming a self-centered, dope smoker a real plus. And I didn’t buy his character’s quick turnaround at the end either. It was too fast and hardly believable. Upon further reflection, Mena Suvari plays the only semi-normal one. Granted, her character is rather shallow, but with this flick, it’s the lesser of many evils. She’s the only we’re shown who learns anything, because the film’s stale climax leaves most characters in the exact same circumstances, no better than they were before (in some cases, worse). So Spacey’s summation monologue about “beauty” that follows is all well and good, but doesn’t really mean or matter a whole lot in the grand scheme.

      Movie nudity is rarely defensible, so why would a film ever require an underage actress to take her clothes off? Thora Birch, who plays Spacey’s daughter, was 16 when this was made and has a nude scene. Last I heard this was illegal, but I think you can get away with it in some circumstances. But so what, why is their a need to even get a way with it? Her nudity could have been easily suggested rather than full-blown frontal and displayed as it was. With so many sickos out there who prey on children, what good does it do for an OSCAR winning/legitimate film to set this kind of standard? This is just not cool, and I’m saying it! Sure, I could’ve taken the easy way out and salivated all over this film like every other critic, but I won’t. I refuse to! Because it’s a stupid movie any way you cut it, despite my objections to its subject matter. I’d say skip this, but with all of the nods attached and won, most will buy into the hype. I can’t really blame them either, because I did too. The difference is, I came back and told the truth. Unlike some people, my conscience is clean.

      American beauty, huh? What a joke! If these people had any idea what true beauty was, they wouldn’t have made this film. And worst of all, this was always the front runner in the Best Picture category too. Compared to THE SIXTH SENSE, THE GREEN MILE, THE INSIDER, or THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, this doesn’t even measure up. But, we’ve gone two years now where the right movie has taken the top prize. I guess it’s about time for another ENGLISH PATIENT. :-(