>I liked it. But I kept wondering why Kevin Spacey's character was killed
>(you find out in the first 5 minutes that he's going to die). Was it
>because he broke out of the usual routine and rebelled against the system?
>Was it because he took advantage of his daughter's friend? Or was it
>merely to add something dramatic to the movie to try and make it more
>interesting to the audience?
Bingo. I saw American Beauty as basically an extended, slightly sophisticated TV movie, which is to say that it was intended to make audiences cheer--as when Spacey throws the platter of food against the wall--and think they were made to think, but in the end it pushed all the usual buttons and never revealed anything new or insightful. Of course, TV movies are rather dull and don't aspire to art, so to make it "cinematic" the writer tacked on a tragic ending, one that, as I think your confusion indicates, Brett, was totally inappropriate and undeserving (to the story, not the character). But I'm afraid this is about as creative as Hollywood gets these days.
>It obviously touched upon the problems of "the American Dream." How it can
>drain all the fun out of life. How your sense of worth is all to easily
>tied up with money and success and so forth.
Yeah, but, as I said about Fight Club, I want a movie that explores these things rather than just touch on them. I don't think Hollywood can do this because (a) a movie like this might offend and that would interfere with the bottom line, and (b) a movie that truly explored these things might have to be plotless, sort of like Cassevettes used to do; Hollywood would hate this--every movie now seems to have some quirky plot twist or surprise at the end, which I guess is how you keep them in their seats when you aren't offering anything else.
But aside from that, I think the way it touched on the themes was quite safe. Spacey's boss is to blame for Spacey's unhappiness, but the company he works for, and the economic system in general, are invisible. His boredom is blamed not on the rat race or the pressures to conform and succeed, but, predictably, on an absent sex life, a heckling wife, and an ungrateful daughter. (Brett, did you think that the movie was extremely misogynist? I did.)
But over all, Spacey was perfect for this role: his smugness matched perfectly the movie's smirking tone.
(Sometimes I wonder why I go see these things if my responses are going to be so cranky. I guess I like being a crank sometimes.)
Eric