American Beauty film discussion

American Beauty
Focus

By Toby Klein Greenwald
Director, WholeFamily Room

Print and discuss after the film, around the family dinner table or while you're out for a ride. Reading them before the film will help focus your viewing.

Note the cinematography in the film. Describe the different moods you feel in the dinner table scenes, the party scenes and the office and school scenes.
What is the individual "demon" of each different protagonist and how does s/he deal with it?
In which cases do those “demons” manifest themselves through relationship problems?
At what points in the film could people have reacted to provocations or confrontations differently, leading to a different response from the person or people with whom they were interacting and possibly even to a different ending to the film?
Who is your favorite character and why? The funniest? The most "normal"?
How did you feel about the way Lester dealt with his employment situation? If you were in his shoes, would you have done the same?
What does Jane like about Rick?
dentify three or more family issues dealt with in this film. Did you like the treatment they received? What is American Beauty trying to tell us about American society and family life?
Why doesn't Lester "go all the way" with Angela? In general, how does sex mean different things to different people in this film?
What do you think the director is trying to accomplish or communicate by his extensive use of having the camera peek into windows?
Why is the film called "American Beauty"?

Please share your thoughts with us that were triggered by these questions at our
Film Board.

Ms. Toby Klein Greenwald is Co-President and Director of Creative Development of WholeFamily.com. In her former life she taught film analysis and wrote scripts.

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American Beauty Focus

American Beauty

American Beauty
Focus