The False Nature of The American Dream in Sam Mendes’ Movie American Beauty

Through the discoveries of the characters, Sam Mendes’ American Beauty, attempts to change the socially ingrained image of beauty. The motif of the red rose petal is utilised throughout the movie to represent lust, beauty, and sexuality. Its seductive power is reinforced within the cheer scene, as Angela creates a vector line toward her crotch with her hands and clothes zipper, as rose petals fly from her chest - portraying her as an object of desire. Angela represents the typical, superficial depiction of beauty, “If people I don't even know look at me...it means I really have a shot at being a model”, and is shrouded in red rose petals within Lester’s fantasies - further highlighting her sexuality. Throughout the closing sequence, as Lester is led to his impending demise, the roses reappear which juxtapose their previous portrayal of beauty and lust. As Lester looks back on his fondest memories, each character within the final moments before his death are depicted as associating with the colour red - representing each of their discoveries surrounding beauty. Ricky Fitts discovers the true meaning of beauty within a floating plastic, as he describes it as “the most beautiful thing I’ve ever filmed”. Both his and Jane’s faces are shadowed by darkness, until they come to realise true beauty, and the two characters’ faces appear in the light, “Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world. I feel like I can’t take it and my heart’s just going to cave in”. Angela, after admitting to being a virgin, discovers that pure beauty is not only found on the surface as Ricky tells her “..you’re boring, and you’re totally ordinary, and you know it”. Thus, as the characters are presented with the true meaning of beauty, due to their discoveries, their previously held beliefs are ultimately challenged and changed.

Sam Mendes’ ‘American Beauty’ represents the false nature of the American Dream, through the discoveries made by the characters, Lester Burnham and Ricky Fitts. The inculcation of the typical suburban dream that strives for wealth and status, within American Beauty, is challenged by Lester’s realisation of his living nightmare of neglected desires. The simile within the opening scene “It feels like I’ve been in a coma for forty years, and I am just waking up”, marks the beginning of his discovery, which eventually turns him into the antithesis of the American Dream. As Lester quits his slavish job, the background features geometric patterns and lines, which suggest the orderliness that Lester no longer fits in with. The mundanity is further juxtaposed by Brad Dupree’s reading of Lester’s job review “My job basically consists of masking my contempt for the assholes in charge...”, and as the shot shifts, the red wall behind Lester contrasts with the blue surrounding the rest of the room. Lester’s wife, Carolyn, represents the obsessive materialism of the American Dream, as portrayed in the ensuing dialogue after Carolyn and Lester kiss on the lounge “This is a $4,000 sofa. It is not just a couch”, “This is not life, this is just stuff. And it’s become more important to you than living”. The ideal of upholding status is accentuated within the Real Estate King’s philosophy, “In order to be successful, one must portray an image of success at all times”. The American Dream traditionally represents a happy life and family, which is further juxtaposed by the characterisation of Ricky Fitts. Ricky represents the breaking down of a nuclear family due to his discovery of true beauty and happiness, in contrast with his father’s conservative views of the world. As the Fitts family are shown watching television, there is a clear space on the lounge where Ricky should be seated - emphasising his detachment from the family unit. The television program is also in black in white, despite being in a time where television is usually in colour - which further accentuates his father’s old fashioned beliefs, that Ricky rejects. This highlights his alienation from his father and juxtaposes the ‘perfect family’ notion found within the American Dream. As Ricky and Lester meet at the real estate convention, they are shown wearing different coloured suits from everyone else in the room - illustrating their disconnection from the rest of society.