Cameron Ames

Professor Kevin Corbett

BCA 508
November 15, 2016

American Beauty Analysis

Few works of art escape description quite like Sam Mendes's American Beauty. Written
by Alan Ball, the film is a hybrid of drama, satire, romance, and more. Intertwined with
numerous, multi-layered themes, its no wonder that so many people can watch the same movie
and come away with vastly different interpretations. More than anything though, this ambitious
yet down-to-Earth film is held together and propelled to greatness by its characters, particularly
in how they are written and portrayed. In order to understand American Beauty on a deeper
level, one must first understand its characters and the relationships between them.

While nearly everyone in American Beauty may seem essential to the overall film, the
character most resembling a protagonist would be Lester Burnham. To put it simply, Lester is a
man in his 40s going through a midlife crisis, but beneath this mundane description is a character
who truly undergoes a radical change. In the original script, Lesters story begins with him
flying over his neighborhood, playful and free, greeting his neighbors. In the film, this was
replaced by a narration from a future Lester. From this point forward, the versions mostly
match-up, and Lester wakes in his bed, tired, groggy, and lacking energy. The first ten minutes
of the film paint him as rather pathetic and complacent. After getting out of bed, he masterbates
in the shower, and his narration reveals this is the highpoint of his day. He later drops his
briefcase, sleeps on his way to work, and monotonously goes about his job.
For the first part of the movie, Lester is a husk of a man, and his own narration admits
this much. His wife, Carolyn, incessantly nags and controls him, hes forced to prove his merit at
a job hes held for over a decade, and his daughter Jane wants nothing to do with him. He feels
completely powerless, and his sulking, passive attitude shows he has no energy left to get it back.
When Lester becomes infatuated with his daughters high school friend Angela, however, he
slowly gains confidence, standing up to his wife when normally he would cower. He has
renewed energy, a purpose in life, and he makes every effort possible to embody youth--
working out, quitting his job to work at a burger-joint, buying a fast car, and smoking pot.
Towards the end of the film, Lester settles into his new lifestyle. In the script, hes
described as handling himself like an athlete, and for better or for worse, he is in charge of the
household. Carolyn barely speaks with him, and he snaps at Jane when she complains. For the
most part though, not much phases him. While once awkward and bumbling, he now exudes
confidence and a laidback attitude. He jokes with Ricky, his pot-dealer, respectfully rejects
unwanted sexual advances from his neighbor Frank, and essentially out-flirts Angela, making her
uncomfortable instead of vice-versa. It may seem superfluous to spend so much time describing
one character, but it is necessary considering Lesters radical reinvention of himself.

Lesters wife, Carolyn, is an almost equally important character in American Beauty.

Carolyns introductory scene is fantastic in its succinct and revealing nature: she prunes her
garden with a face described in the script as determined, humorless. Lesters narration points
out that her gardening clogs and handle on her shears match, and it is established early that
Carolyn cares deeply about having a winning appearance. This determination is seemingly
snapped when she makes small talk with the neighbors, Jim and Jim, putting on an exaggerated
friendliness. Once shes done talking though, her face immediately returns to the previous,
resolute expression. Instead of giving up on her life like Lester seems to have, she attacks it
with steadfast determination. In one scene she puts an enormous effort into cleaning a home she
is selling. Her efforts are often in vain though, and when she fails at to sell the home, she is
unforgiving, hitting and insulting herself.
Carolyn undergoes a slight change after she starts an affair with Buddy Kaine, a rival
real-estate agent. Carolyn worships Kaine; he embodies the success she so wishes to have, and
the relationship seems to bring her a great amount of authentic happiness (something missing
from her life). She joyfully sings in the car, and even goes to a shooting range at Buddys
suggestion. Unlike Lester though, she is unable to remain changed in the others presence. She
comes home in a good mood at one point, only to discover that Lester has bought a car. After she
bothers him about it, he asks her when she became so joyless, and her response is to menacingly
reply that there is a lot of joy in her life.

Then theres Jane, a character with a radically different introduction in the original script.
She first appears on trial for hiring her boyfriend to murder her father, silent and morose as her
friend Angela testifies against her. The court then watches a videotape that begins the actual
feature film. Jane, semi-nude, complains about her fathers strange behavior, and her boyfriend
offers to kill him for her, and she accepts. In both these beginnings, especially the script-version,
Jane is guilty from the get go. When Jane is introduced chronologically, however, she seems like
a normal, insecure teenage girl. After checking her bank account and looking at a website for
breast-enhancement, she inspects her boobs in the mirror. As the story goes on, its revealed that
she is an angsty teenage girl, but not a killer by any means. As she befriends her neighbor Ricky
and as the two become boyfriend and girlfriend, she learns that theres nothing wrong with being
different. The two are strange, but bond over their appreciation of nontraditional beauty.

Angela is first introduced in the final film around the same time Lester first lays eyes on
her, although in the original script she testifies against Jane. Angela is beautiful, and shes fully
aware of it. Whats also apparent is that she is lacking in talent (and personality) because of her
beauty. The script describes her dance performance as awkward, grace obviously not being her
strong point. She is accustomed to men drooling over her, and therefore getting places because
of her looks. Shes never really had to work for anything in her life. At one point she declares
that everything that was meant to happen, does. Eventually, an opinion loaded with privilege.
At one point, when her beauty is questioned, she decides to reaffirm her self-worth in the only
way she knows how, by seeking out the approval of man, that being Lester.

Ricky is another fascinating character. The original script opens with Ricky in a jail cell,
a zen, yet dangerous expression on his face as he sings a song to the tune of dripping water. In
the final film, however, Rickys first scene involves him secretly filming an altercation between
Jane and Lester. Ricky is obsessed with recording everything in his life that he finds beautiful,
and he particularly enjoys filming Jane. Ricky wears conservative attire and has a military style
haircut, but as the film progresses, it becomes apparent that this is part of the facade he puts on
for his strict father, Frank. Ricky knows exactly what to say and do to appease his father, and
goes through great lengths to lead a rebellious lifestyle (selling/doing drugs, faking urine tests,
seeing Jane) while appearing to be upstanding and respectable in his fathers eyes. Despite his
strange behavior, Ricky has a certain confidence from not caring what other people think,
something that Jane picks up on, and even starts to admire.

The last character worth mentioning is Frank Fitts, Rickys father, referred to as Colonel
Fitts in the original script. Frank is introduced reading the newspaper (an old-fashioned practice
for an old-fashioned man) and declares that the country is going straight to hell. Immediately his
no nonsense, conservative values are established, and then driven home after he interacts with his
gay neighbors and cusses them out while driving Ricky to school. Franks character, like his son,
is always putting on a facade, and in Franks case it is much more elaborate. Frank is gay, but
refuses to accept it. While in the script it is made painfully more obvious after he stares at a
shirtless Lester with fascination, is made uncomfortable by the shower scene in Top Gun, and
looks at a photo of him and an army buddy in each others arms, the movie reveals this only
when Frank unexpectedly kisses Lester.

Its not just the characters that make American Beauty stand out, but the way they all
interact in various plots and subplots. Lesters relationship with his wife is one good example.
The transition of power from one to the other is clear. While Carolyns nagging subdues Lester
in the beginning, towards the middle it loses its effect; he is able to shrug it off, and even fights
back, like when he throws a plate to silence her. At the end, Carolyn seeks to take control back,
albeit violently, and prepares to confront Lester with the gun. Throughout the story, Lester is
also constantly at odds with his wife over her incessant materialism. She cares more about beer
being spilled on her couch than rekindling her romance with Lester, and its this moment where
he decides that the two are and will always be incompatible. Meanwhile, Carolyn finds Lesters
nonchalant attitude towards money irresponsible, berating him for quitting his job and buying a
car, though he shrugs her complaints off quite easily.
Lesters other important relationships are with Jane and Angela. As Lester becomes more
distant from his daughter, he becomes unhealthily obsessed with her friend. He alienates Jane,
and acts less like a father and more like a horny teenage boy. Jane resents her father for his
misplaced attention; she jokes about killing him and has no qualm running away with Ricky.
Only when Lester is about to sleep with Angela does he realize she is not the person whom he
fantasized, but rather an insecure girl much like his daughter. He asks Angela if Jane is happy,
and takes joy in the fact that she has found love. Unfortunately, his life ends before Jane can
learn of her fathers interest.
Janes relationship with her mother, Carolyn, is not much better. Carolyn wants Jane to
succeed in the same way she wants herself to succeed, so she constantly judges her behavior.
After her dance routine, Carolyn remarks that Jane didnt mess up, rather than tell her she did
well. She criticizes the way Jane dresses, and refuses to accept her back-talk. Her mother lacks
empathy for her own daughter, thinking that because Janes childhood was better than her own,
she should constantly be appreciative.
Ricky, like Lester, is also central to a number of subplots, especially regarding Jane and
Angela. When the story begins, Ricky seems like a creep, but Jane takes satisfaction from being
wanted, finally understanding what Angela sees in it. While shes hesitant to trust him at first,
Ricky starts to win her over with his confidence and rejection of the norm. When Angela is
sleeping over and realizes Ricky is watching them, she dances in front of the window, but Ricky
ignores this, zooming in on Jane. Angela cannot comprehend why Ricky has no interest in her,
and it is her sole reason for distrusting him. Towards the end of the film, Ricky destroys
Angelas self worth, calling her ugly and ordinary. Ricky sees beyond surface level, and prefers
Janes internal beauty. By the end of the film, Jane declares she and Ricky will never be normal
because they arent perfect like Angela, but the word perfect is used as an insult. Jane is no
longer insecure, instead confident in her new identity of nonconformity.
One last important relationship in the story includes Ricky, Lester, and his father Frank.
Ricky is treated by his father like a soldier, and he often gives him canned responses as if he
were in boot camp. Ricky feels bad for him; he knows hes overcompensating, trying to beat
him into conformity. Meanwhile Frank sees the world as a place of hostility and temptation. He
must be strict, and teach Ricky discipline, otherwise he will cave in to sinful desires. When
Frank finds Rickys footage of a nude Lester, he goes on to mistake their relationship as one that
is sexual, when in reality it is that of a drug-dealer and buyer. Frank accuses Ricky of being gay,
and Ricky decides to play along with this, realizing his father will kick him out and he will be
free. After this, Frank confronts Lester, kissing him, but he rejects this advance. Later, Frank
kills him out of shame and humiliation.

Scenes in American Beauty are somewhat nontraditional. One could argue most are
shorter than average, while the longer ones are oftentimes broken up and cut together with other
longer scenes. One example of this is three scenes which occur simultaneously, cutting several
times between each other. The first is a scene in which Carolyn and Buddy Kaine get lunch
together, and he reveals that his wife and him are splitting up. Carolyn then has passionate sex
with Buddy in a motel, and afterwards she declares that it was just what she needed. The second
starts with Jane offering Ricky a ride, and then deciding to walk home with him instead of going
with Angela. As they walk, they talk about the beauty in death, and then Ricky takes her to his
home to show her some things of interest. Lastly, Lester drives along after quitting his job,
smoking pot. He pulls up to Mr. Smileys to get some food, and ends up asking for a job. The
manager in confused, but Lester assures him he wants the job and is qualified. Each mini-scene
from the larger scenes go from one to the other between the three plotlines, but in the end, each
only make-up the length of about one scene. These short scenes give the film a very fluid feel,
and also suggest that these events occur around the exact same time, something that would be
lost if played on after the other.
Another unique element to many scenes in American beauty are the instances of
uninterrupted dialogue. Characters will go on short, or even long rants, or in other instances tell
long-winded stories. The longest of these speeches would probably be considered moments of
self-revelation, or at least key moments for learning character. One famous scene in particular
involves Rickys explanation of the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. While the original
script features a beat where Jane and Ricky swap banter, the final film cuts straight to Rickys
video. Occurring exactly at the midpoint, Ricky talks for 20 lines with only one pause and one
action note, that being Jane watching Ricky instead of the footage of the plastic bag drifting in
the wind. Rickys appreciation of beauty, his ability to see it everywhere unexpected, is a major
theme in the story. By using extended speeches, the writer gives the movie a stage play-like
quality, and used in combination with short scenes, the speeches are highlighted and framed,
separate and distinct, making it truly unforgettable

American Beauty is loaded with themes and symbolism; it would take an entire separate
paper to name even half of them, and it is likely that different viewers will pick up on different
themes. The most obvious symbol throughout the film is without a doubt the red roses. The
namesake of the film, roses of the American Beauty variety are everywhere; in nearly every
scene in the Burnham house, and always present whenever Lester fantasizes about Angela. More
than anything, the roses touch upon the themes of Beauty and the American Dream. Rose petals
are always present when Lester fantasizes about Angela. The most poignant scene that illustrates
this is when Lester imagines Angela on his ceiling, covered in rose petals that drift down and
cover his face. The roses are a traditional ideal of beauty-- they surround Angela because she is
everything that is supposed to be beautiful. To Carolyn, however, they are the the American
ideal of success. She puts them up everywhere in her home, growing them, clipping them,
making them into decorations. Shes proving to herself that shes made it, that she owns a
desirable home, like one in a magazine.
A theme that is less obvious, however, is that of denial and pretending to be something
you are not. Almost every character is American Beauty tries to be something they are not by
putting on an appearance or facade. The idea is first brought forward by Buddy Kaine, when he
declares to Carolyn that in order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all
time. The film, however, asserts that this not the way things work; appearing to be something is
vastly different than being something.
First off, theres Carolyn, who is obsessed with appearing successful, always putting
effort into her appearance, her yard, her home. Her first action involves her clipping her roses to
perfection whilst whilst trying to look as stylish as possible. The reality, however, is that she is
just a mediocre real estate agent, with a failing relationship with both her husband and daughter.
Her life is messy, a sharp contrast to her clean and sterile home.
Of course Lester fits this as well. He tries his best to appear youthful; he works out, gets
into shape, gets a job as a burger-flipper, and even buys a bright red sports car. Hes trying to
relive his past, trying to be young again, but the appearance of youth is not equivalent to youth.
He comes to this realization when faced with taking Angelas virginity, knowing that her first
time should be with someone who is her age, not her fathers age.
Then theres Ricky, who proves that the appearance of compliance does not equal
compliance. He puts on a show for his dad, faking drug tests, working real jobs to justify his
illegal earnings. When questioned by his dad he is perfectly subservient, and says all the right
things, but none of these actions cause him to conform. Regardless of this, he breaks the norm,
and proves to be much less of an upstanding citizen than his father thinks.
Angela can be viewed from this perspective as well, as her appearance of beauty is not
equivalent to beauty. Its all surface level, and inside she is rather plain, unskilled, and ordinary.
By the films end, Ricky and the audience understand this sort of beauty is actually mundane;
Angela is no plastic bag dancing in the wind, but rather just another cookie-cutter face. Without
people confirming her sense of beauty, she feels worthless.
And lastly, in the case of Frank, the appearance of being straight does not mean he is
straight. The Colonel believes that his desires are sinful and wrong. To counter them, he puts on
an extremely masculine personality, as well as an outward hatred for gay people. No matter how
hard he tries to deny it though, he cannot will himself into conform and be normal.

All these characters put massive and constant effort into maintaining their ideal selves,
hoping that by acting a certain way, they can change who they are at a core level. They see
themselves as who they want to be; in denial about who they truly are deep down. When they do
realize that theyre not who they wish, and are instead pretending, the realization tends to be
either uplifting or world-shattering. For Ricky and Lester, it is a relief. Ricky realizes he is free
to leave his father behind after pretending to be gay, and Lester realizes he can be happy acting
like a father and a husband, as he thinks about Jane and looks at a family before being shot.
Carolyn, Angela, and Frank, however, all experience a breakdown upon realizing they are not
who they wish they were. Carolyn intends to threaten or possibly kill Lester, Angela intends to
sleep with Janes father to reaffirm her beauty and get back at Jane, and Frank tries to find
comfort in Lester, but after rejection, kills him instead.

One more element worth mentioning would be the storys overall plot structure. While
American Beauty does not follow a traditional 3-act structure, it does have three distinct parts
that highlight Lesters changing disposition. Each of these three parts is about 40 minutes long,
and all begin with the camera flying over Lesters neighborhood. The first of the film shows
Lester and the rest of the characters in their normal, daily routines, as well as the various
incidents that incite them to begin changing. Lester meets Angela, his new desire, Carolyn meets
Buddy, her rival/idol, and Ricky meets Jane, a boy with a crush and while shes just happy to be
crushed on. The section ends with Lester refusing to apologize to his wife for masterbating, and
then speaking his mind about her for once.
The second section shows the characters undergoing different changes to their normal
life. Lester gets in shape and shirks his adult responsibilities, Carolyn begins an affair with
Buddy, and Jane decides to shift her values from matching Angelas to following Rickys
instead. All of these scenes occur simultaneously, highlighting their importance in the lives of
the characters. The second section ends with Jane and Ricky filming the scene that played at the
films start, as she complains about how weird and immature her dad acts.
The third section is about Lesters last day on Earth, as well as the consequences and
culmination of all the characters changes. Lester is now in control of his life, enjoying himself,
and speaking his mind. Hes confident, and after a strange encounter with his neighbor, hes
ready to achieve his ultimate goal: Angela. Meanwhile, Buddy calls off his affair with Carolyn
after Lester finds out about them, and Carolyn loses he only joy in life. She despises the now
powerful and carefree Lester, wanting to take back control. Then, Jane and Angela hang out for
the last time, though more enemies than friends at this point. When Ricky asks her to run away
with him, she realizes she can, and she doesnt need Angela.
The film ends after Lester goes through another change of heart, not back to how he
started the film, though hes no longer a man pretending to be a kid. Hes content, with
newfound wisdom, and seems ready to take on being an adult. Unfortunately, its after this
epiphany that his neighbor Frank kills him. The film ends by revealing that Lesters narration,
and essentially the entire film, was Lesters life flashing before his eyes. Hes at peace with the
end though, not angry or upset. He speaks of appreciating beauty in much the same way that
Ricky does.
 It can be difficult to pick apart a movie like American Beauty, and doing so may seem a
disservice to the film. Trying to analyze it, and categorize it, and distill it to its base components
is not fully possible. A delicate and intricate cross-section of American life, American Beauty
asks only that the viewer appreciate the unseen beauty in the world around them, and empathize
with the struggles of life we all deal with at one point or another. One may not understand it
now, but as Lester says as the film closes, You will someday.