I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me… but it’s hard to stay mad, when there’s so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I’m seeing it all at once, and it’s too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that’s about to burst… And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can’t feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life… You have no idea what I’m talking about, I’m sure. But don’t worry… you will someday.
– Finishing Lines… American Beauty
When I first watched American Beauty it was on a television movie channel. I had heard so much about it and wanted to know what it was about. What impressed me then the most was the ending of the film… that line(above quote) struck a chord with me… Far away from understanding the movie, back then I thought it was an above average movie. Blame it mostly on the overly censored movie channels (it was the clipping of what was considered ‘bad language’ that bothered me more than the nudity) and the ad breaks that just ruined the flow of the movie.
What significantly drove me to rediscover the movie almost a decade after i first watched it was a realization of sorts. A close friend had loved the movie back when we were in college. This is not a very significant thing… usually. The thing is this friend went on to pursue a career in film making. He had made a bunch of short films and last I spoke to him was working on a bigger film. The idea that a movie could drive someone to choose his career was quiet fascinating… Of course I had to watch the movie again… this time with my total undivided attention.
There are a few movies that I wished I had discovered earlier in my life, American Beauty tops the list. There is so many little amazing things in the movie that could so easily be lost within the main plot, it speaks volumes of the quality of the screenplay and the director that these are so well brought out. The acting is top class and the casting brilliant.
American Beauty swept most of the awards for the year of its release(1999). Kevin Spacey won the Best Actor Oscar for his flawless portrayal of Lester Burnham.
Honestly there is just too much to take home with you after the movie and its that ability of the movie that truly won hearts. There is so much magic in the subtlety of this movie and its profound thoughts that it just takes your breath away. If you haven’t already watched this movie… Please do.