But guess what? American Beauty IS a fan-fucking-tastic movie. And it was perfect for my mood tonight: it's gleefully bitter, biting, and dark [just a warning for the more compassionate of you: it does require a certain amount of schadenfreude (god bless the Germans; they have a word for everything) to laugh at]. Yet it's not just a brilliantly caustic satire of a dysfunctional suburban family that coats all their interactions with a sarcastic veneer to disguise their own banality. The clever, acidic humor builds to an emotional wallop that you don't see coming until it's too late. I'm still feeling rattled by it, and I can tell it's the kind of movie that'll be haunting me for a while. (Granted, some of the emotions raised are ones that I probably identify with more strongly than most of you well-adjusted people, but I still think it's sneaky-strong.)
And Kevin Spacey is a fan-fucking-tastic actor -- always, but here he outdoes himself. As the effectively neutered patriarch of this soulless suburban tribe, he's absolutely fearless, playing first a pathetic loser, then reinventing himself as a latter-day teenager who's decided to ignore any and all consequences of his second adolescence. He handles laugh-out-loud sarcasm and subtle emotion with the same smooth skill. Best damn performance of the year (but keep in mind that Simon Sez starring Dennis Rodman doesn't open until Friday -- I reserve the right to change my mind).
Spacey's got a terrific foil in Mena Suvari, the teenaged object of his lust. She has a wonderfully expressive, almost cartoony face that's perfect for the mix of comedy and melodrama her role requires. As Spacey's wife, Annette Bening is a little too over-the-top, just a touch too shrill as a sort of more obsessive version of Martha Stewart. And then there's the family next door, who are all just a little weird. (There was something about that whole story line that just didn't fit for me, but I can't put my finger on why exactly.)
Skin deep? This Beauty cuts to the bone. Do yourself a favor and go see the damn movie (it opens Friday). And tell me what you think of it, because I'm busting to talk to someone about it.
(P.S. Kirk and Stephen, check out the high-school cheerleaders' dance routine -- all they need is a little spandex, and they'd be as good as the Dancing Devils!)
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