American Beauty (1999) tells the story of one man's search for happiness. The film introduces the audience to Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), an ordinary married man and father in his forties. Lester is in a loveless marriage, however, as Lester's wife Carolyn (Annette Benning), is so wrapped-up in her real estate career that Lester often claims that Carolyn doesn't even acknowledge him. Lester's daughter Jane (Thora Birch), is completely distant, often claiming how pathetic she thinks her father is. In addition, Lester has dedicated fourteen years to his occupation, and suddenly, he is in danger of losing his job due to downsizing. All of these factors dramatically effect Lester and culminate into feelings of desperation and vulnerability. Lester is therefore in search of an escape and a rebirth.
Lester is seeking the slightest possibility of happiness. Throughout the story, Lester is consistently reminiscing on his past; wishing he could have it back. In the beginning of the......
Join Now or Login to view the rest of this paper.
Approximate Word Count: 3029
Approximate Pages: 12 (260 words per double-spaced page) |