Jemi Bernard American Beauty

The film ‘American Beauty’ in short is eye opening and controversial at best. It challenges our perceptions of society and social interactions and how we perceive everyday things such as beauty. It is a film which also steps of the ‘beaten track’ of film techniques and uses more skewed and controversial methods of getting the film’s message and themes across to the audience, often resorting to making that said audience feel uncomfortable and insecure.
Because of ‘American Beauty’ being far from a ‘generic’, ‘run of the mill’ film it obviously attracts a lot of attention and opinions, both good and bad. Many film critics have covered this film upon its release drawing various conclusions on the film's meaning and stamping their opinion on it.
The danger with this in the film is that the message or theme becomes lost in the ‘manic’ nature of the character. This does not happen however as each ‘manic’ character in the film has something or someone which exposes this manic side of them to the audience, but still keeps the film and the expression of theme in check.

Jemi Bernard’s analysis of ‘American Beauty’ is the sort of article which highlights the main beauty in the film itself; Its ability to be thought-provoking and attract the opinion of many critics and individuals with different opinions of the film and perceptions of the messages and themes which are expressed within ‘American Beauty’.
The article also explores an idea which is not really explored in the film or analysed by many when responding to the film; This being the idea of what people want for themselves and what they bring upon themselves.
It can be argued that this idea exists in the film, although not the premise of the film itself, it is explored through the use of the characters, Angela and Carolyn; Both of whom want something for themselves or bring something on themselves, whether that is something social or
We are reminded of how each character yearns for something in the film, this being something that is to do with the theme of the ‘futility of the American dream’ and the pursuit for materialistic perfection in some instances.
The article details how each character has their own pursuit or yearning as a part of ‘looking closer’; A yearning or pursuit which each character believes will somehow get them out of their miserable life;
“For Lester, it is an overwhelming passion for a young girl.” ;
“For his wife, Carolyn, it is becoming the most successful real estate agent in her town.” ;
“For their teenaged daughter Jane, it is changing her physical appearance.” ;
“For their neighbor, Colonel Frank Fitts, it is the semblance of a happy, normal domestic all-American life.”