搜索
美国丽人AmericanBeauty英文影评Nothingbeatsdeathforestablishingadetached,omniscientpointofview,andfromtheverybeginningofSamMendes'shauntingandaccomplisheddebutfeature(andoneoftheyear'sfirstsignificantfilms),it'smadeclearthatitshero,middle-aged,middle-classlostsoulLesterBurnham(KevinSpacey)isagoner.Lester'sflashbackvoiceovernarrationhasthesardonicserenityofthebeyond,ananarchisticwisdomasheobserveshimselfjerkingoffintheshower(Thiswillbethehighlightofmyday),spiesonwifeCarolyn(astridentandfragileAnnetteBening)tendingthetitleroses(Seehowherclogsmatchthehandlesofherpruningshears?It'snotacoincidence.),orlooksinonsullenandunhappydaughterJane(ThoraBirch,withsoulful,accusingeyes)surfingtheInternetforbreastaugmentationsites(I'dtellherthingsgetbetter,butIdon'twanttolie).Hissecret?Inlessthanayear,I'llbedead....Butinasense,I'mdeadalready.WhoactuallykillsLesterisamystery.IsitJane,who'sshownonvideosayingherdadisalame-owhoshouldbeputoutofhismisery?Carolyn,whotakesoutherfrustrationsattheshootingrange?ColonelFitts(ChrisCooper),thenewneighborwiththemilitantright-wingviewsandtheextensivefirearmscollection?Intheend,itmakesnodifference.AsforLester'sspiritualdeath,it'soneofthemostcommonthemesinAmericanliteratureandfilm,andMendesandfirst-timewriterAlanBalldeservecreditforbringingthishollowmantolife.Mostly,though,it'sSpacey'smovie,ashisimpeccabletiming,coysuperciliousnessandruefulknowingnessprovidethetoneandtensionthatilluminateit.LikethegimpyloserheplayedinTheUsualSuspect,hisLesterstartsoutunimpressively,embarrassinghimselfinfrontofhiswifeanddaughterbothinsocialsettingsandatthedinnertable.ButSpacey'sdiabolicalsmilesuggeststhathisdaysassuburbandoormatadriftina'90supdatingofJohnCheever'swhite-collarwasteland(thefilmisreminiscentofthatwriter'sTheCountryHusband)willnotbeforlong.Hisrebirthbeginsatahigh-schoolbasketballgamewhereheandCarolyn,inamisconceivedattempttobebetterparents,watchJanerunthroughanewdanceroutinewiththecheerleadingsquad.HispatientgazechangestoardorasthecamerasinglesoutthenubilefeaturesofAngela(vividnewcomerMenaSuvari),whoseinsinuatingsmileseemsmeantjustforhim.Mendes,however,overplaysthemoment:aspotlightshinesonAngela,everyoneelseinthegymdisappears,andsheopensherblousetounleashacascadeofrosepetals,thehallmarkofLester'sfantasysequences,andoneofthefilm'slesscompellingmetaphorsforbeauty.MendesismorerestrainedinLester'ssecondepiphany,whenatashindigforCarolyn'sreal-estatejobheslipsoutbackwithRickyFitts(WesBentley,likealaconicChristianSlaterwithspookypresence),thecolonel'sson,who'scateringtheaffair.Tinyfiguresframedbyablankwallandtheasphaltofaparkinglot,thetwogetloopyandhilariousonthedopethatistherealsourceofRicky'sincome.Ithinkyou'rebecomemynewpersonalhero,saysLesterwhenRickyquitsandtellshisintrudingbosstogetlost.IneffectRickybecomesthefilm'shero,too,sinceheembodiestheyouth,idealism,andpoetrythatLesterabandonedalongwithhisdreamofowninga1970Firebird.Rickyalsoembodiesmuchofthevisualsensethatdistinguishesthestyleofthisdirector(who'sknownforhisstrikingstageproductionsofCabaretandTheBlueRoom).Oppressedbyhisfascistdad(oneofthefilm'sfewstereotypesthatfailstotranscenditself),Rickybuysvideoequipmentwithhisdopemoneyandshootsrandommomentsofmorbidbeauty,suchasadeadbird,awhirlingplasticbaginaleaf-litteredalley,andLester'sbruised-petaldaughter.It'sthebeginningofacourtshipbetweenRickyandJane,andtheinterplayofself-consciousimagery,voyeurism,anddesirerecallsStevenSoderbergh'ssex,liesandvideotapeandKrzysztofKieslowski'sAShortFilmAboutLove.Lester,meanwhile,pumpsironwhilestonedtogetbuffforAngela,extortsayear'sseverancepayfromhissoul-destroyingjob,andismostlyamusedwhenhiswifehasanaffairwithBuddyKane(agrayingPeterGallagher,lookinglikeamonstrousfusionofGeorgeHamiltonandMichaelDukakis),thereal-estateking.Thedetailsofthedeadman'sultimatefateareabitofaletdown,butasheposthumouslynotes,it'shardtostaymadwhenthere'ssomuchbeautyintheworld,andinthatregard,thisnear-masterpieceistruetoitstitle.