Bard,
I only have a few mins, so forgive me if this is short and disorganized.
Concerning "American Beauty", it seems ALL of the characters were searching for their true selves, searching for beauty; only Spacey's character truly realizes this (at least during the movie itself. Perhaps the rest get it after, well, you know, the ending.) The pot dealer saw beauty, but couldn't quite get his hands on it because of his dysfunctional family. Annette Benning's character thinks that she has to live up to everyone else's standards of success. Jane puts too much effort into trying to ignore everyone else's opinion, even though she looks up to the slutty girl in the beginning, who also is concerned with the opinions of others. The colonel is hiding from the truth of his sexuality by forcing himself to see "beauty" through homophobic eyes. Pot man's dad (the colonel's wife) has forgotten about beauty altogether. It seems that the only people truly happy throughout the entire movie are Quantum Leap and his partner.
What I like most is that the title is great on so many levels. The kind of roses used in the movie are "American Beauty". American Beauty reflects the diversity of character and that truth and beauty are likely different for different people, (static inferred from dynamic. And American Beauty might refer to the general melting pot of diverse, multicolor dreamcoats worn by all.
More later. Comments welcome.
Truth be told, I like to talk about this movie more than write. I can fumble with my thoughts without coming across so detached. Gotta make due though!
Quality movie,
Christopher
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