[4.0/4.0]
Suburban America is often seen as a symbol of comfortable banality. In actuality, it is not immune to the dissatisfaction, directionlessness, and dysfunction that afflict modern life.
The film opens with an aerial view of the seeming typical and idyllic tree-lined American suburb. A narration in the voice of the main character, Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), introduces the story with the jarring revelation that his character is dead, and the story is the tale of events that led to his demise. This immediately signals that the film will aspire to lofty goals. One signal of manipulative writing is the use of heavy-handed events, like a death, in the climax of the story to elicit emotion in the viewer. By notifying the viewer that the story ends with the death of the main character, the narrative does not afford itself the cheap tactic of allowing this turn of events to manipulate the viewer. Instead, it signals that the description of events leading to it will be the focus of attention, that it intends to tell a good story.
Lester is passing through middle age and has become practically a zombie. No part of his life gives him any fulfillment. His relationship with his wife, Carolyn (Annette Bening), has evolved from one of passion to superficiality. Although he would like to have a deeper involvement in the life of his teenage daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), she feels he has made only sporadic attempts when it was convenient for him, so as a result she is resentful of him. Both Carolyn and Jane have their own demons. Jane is an alienated teenager, resentful of the chasm that has developed between her and her parents. Carolyn is a moderately successful real estate agent. She has focused all her energy into her job and her housework and gardening because she has control over these activities, unlike the relationships with her family, which are strained and fruitless.
The usual life for the Burhams is disrupted by several separate events. Upon seeing Jane's striking friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari), for the first time, Lester is immediately struck with desire, and tries to interact with her as often as he can. For her part, Angela enjoys the attention, and confesses to Jane that she welcomes the effect her beauty has on men. Lester's obsessions with Angela reawakens his spirit. He has gained meaning in his dull life and he is inspired to remove the chains that have been placed on his psyche.
The relationship that develops between the middle-aged Lester and the underaged Angela is troubling. Although it appears to benefit Lester and not hurt Angela in any way, the inequity in their positions, let alone standard social taboos, is a bothersome development. Still, it is undeniable that Lester's new obsession was the trigger for his spiritual rebirth, and in that aspect, it seems positive. Like when a dog runs after a car, it is not necessarily capture that is desired, but the thrill of the chase. This appears to be the nature of Lester's motivation, so the viewer does not fully feel uncomfortable with Lester's seemingly deviant obsession.
A new family moves next to the Burhams, and the son, Ricky Fitts (Wes Bentley), injects a new dynamic into the the lives of his neighbors. Jane is drawn to the quiet but confident recluse. Jane slowly finds she has more in common with the introspective loner than with her cheerleader friend Angela. Ricky also becomes a friend of Lester's, by becoming his marijuana dealer.
Most Americans who do not own guns will see them regularly in film and television. They are a potent symbol of power, and are a convenient and overused tool of American cinema. While guns are used in the story, they are not overused. The narrative presents several situations for a cliché, gun-based solution, but then steps aside from the convenience.
The strongest suit of the film is the writing, which gives the story power and eloquence. It mixes moments of dark humor and gripping drama. The characters are drawn with depth and detail, and are realized in uniformly superb performances. Bening is expressive as a character who has gone through the same internal decay as Lester, but has managed to cope in her own way. Bening is able to express the settled exterior while also allowing the dark interior to show through without being melodramatic. However, the clear master of the craft is Spacey. Lester is a multi-faceted character who undergoes a transformation from energyless to reclaimed. Spacey captures all elements of the character and molds them into a coherent and utterly believable flawed hero.
The success of the story is its ability to present difficult situations in ways that do not appear manipulative. Although there are several shocking turns of events, the surprise stems from the points where the standard formula is broken, rather than from predictable melodramatic vehicles.
Highly recommended. The film is ambitious and successful. It succeeds with deep, thoughtful writing and effective, powerful acting. The themes addressed will not be comfortable for all audiences, but it should be rewarding for most viewers who like to see the realistic portrayal of true and flawed characters.
(c) 1999 Murali Krishnan The Art House Squatter http://ArtHouseSquatter.com
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