DVD: American Beauty

Last weekend was time for another DVD. This time it was from my Netflix list. I’m not sure how or when it originally got on my list, since it is many years from bottom to top of my netflix list, but the next film was American Beauty. Despite it being an Oscar Winner and such, the only thing I really knew about it was the Lolita-esque part of it and the image of the girl with the rose petals. Amy expressed no interest. Brandy was busy watching movies she had to watch for class. So I was once again watching by myself.

I wasn’t expecting much. Dunno why. The first 30 minutes or so did drag a bit. It was slow, and not super compelling. But then again, it was supposed to be laying the groundwork about how much the main character’s life sucked. Then it got a bit creepy when he started lusting after the cheerleader.

But then it hit its groove. It seemingly cycled between hilariously funny, creepy, and just sad. In the end end it was a compelling combination. I liked it a lot. I guess I understand the five Oscars. :-)

And, despite the impression I had before hand, it was most definitely NOT primarily about the guy and him lusting after the teenager. This was a portion of it to be sure, and an important element, but it was just one element in a larger picture. It was more a mid-life-crisis movie than creepy old man in love with teenager movie, although of course that is one of the ways the mid-life-crisis manifested itself.

Anyway. Good movie. I liked it. Worth a rental if you didn’t see it back in 1999 when it was in the theaters.