Reviews

Don't get put off by those telling you to give a miss to this film. They belong to the school, insufferable to the true cinema lover and to those of any taste in general, who expects "something to happen" in a film and feel cheated at the end if they haven't had to scramble through an intricate plot, haven't seen the mandatory pound of spilled blood and the round of gunshots. Scorsese is at his most brilliant in this film; it is all the more exquisite as it does not rely on an overloaded plot but prefers to be constructed of lights and half lights, shades and nuances. All the more appropriate as this is exactly what Scorsese wants us to see in the world of end of XIX th century New York- a society brimming with peace and innocence in which nothing appears to ever happen but under the surface of which gossip and intrigue work relentlessly and destinies are decided over the small talk of the dinner table. Accompanied by an impecable narrative voice and an unforgettable richness of color and music it will haunt you forever. Those it sends to sleep do not deserve to be awake. Ten out of ten!

Even more amazing as you realize that there is no particular tight structure holding the various strands of the story together. The only unifying idea is the lack of one and an invitation to total freedom of interpretation. Yet in spite of this the you have the feeling that you are witnessing an impecable performance which is at all times perfectly kept in hand and perfectly symmetrical. A film of no restrictions-in subjects it dwells on and people it allows itself and the audience to love-a cannabis dealer, a sometimes pitiful middle aged balding man searching his path; no moral judgment is passed, no condemnation uttered. American Beauty is a film about beauty-and nothing you see through its transforming camera lens can be anything but beautiful. Sam Mendez is at his best using a full blown arsenal of theatrical devices; often you can imagine any of his characters standing on a stage; there is theatrical care for placement of the characters in the set and the sound track oscillating between 70s tracks and the haunting instrumental motif composed by Thomas Newman gives it unforgettable atmosphere. Total freedom, art at its best; it will stay with you through every look you take again at the world. My all time favorite.