I had avoided seeing American Beauty until now, based on the trailer I saw before it was released, which made it look like something I'd loathe. Actually, it's a worthwhile view IMO, though my reactions to it were probably closest to Spence's and Rask's reviews. (I've gone into Cal's archives and read what everyone else had to say.) I especially agree about the "Three's Company" elements and how hackneyed the "revelation" about the marine father's character.
I also think that the marine's family was too over the top to start with: I know people "like that," and they're not "like that." That is, whereas the suburban realtor family was portrayed with more balance, the military family was just a caricature, especially having the mother never speak unless spoken to and sitting staring endlessly into space waiting for someone to come into the room.
My guess is I'll like the movie less as time goes by. Certainly one of my favorite movies is It's a Wonderful Life, and I think American Beauty is the anti-It's a Wondeful Life: the answer to an ordinary existence is to forget responsibility, bonk Violet (in the personage of your daughter's high school friend), and smoke lots of expensive pot. A theme of such self-indulgence will eventually weigh down those things I liked: an attempt to create sympathy for most characters, good acting, and lots of funny lines.
