Reel Critics

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Reel Critics column features movie critiques

written by community members serving on our panel.

‘Beauty’ is compelling yet disturbing

It had to happen. It was inevitable. A picture exposing the ugly

underbelly of Martha Stewart’s perfect world, complete with custom-built

houses with “individuality” on a quiet, tree-lined street and, yes,

darling picket fences of the currently “smart” styling. All typified

inherently by the cherished American Beauty rose. Hence the name of this

picture.

“American Beauty,” starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, two

actors of formidable talent, focuses on a dysfunctional family, a

dysfunctional society -- in this case, limited to the upwardly mobile

upper-middle class -- and, by extension, a dysfunctional world. Even

accepting its premise of private worlds out of kilter; do all teenagers

hate their parents? Are all well-to-do marriages at risk of

disintegrating entirely? Are all these pampered residents either flouting

convention or hiding secrets?

Full of cliches deliberately targeted by the author, director and

producers, “American Beauty” is intended to be a sendup of the current

lifestyles and attitudes of our affluent neighbors who seem to live in a

mode to which we all aspire. In one cogent remark, our “hero” Lester

Burhnam (Spacey) tells us that what we see is not necessarily so.

Is “American Beauty” satire? A lampoon? An expose? A wake-up call?

Each viewer may make a different choice, but during the overlong

storytelling she or he will be mildly jolted by the sardonic point of

view of the film’s creators.

Lester has been a highly paid writer in a posh advertising agency with

all the “bennies,” both professionally and socially, which go with the

job. His marriage to the attractive Carol (Bening) has gone hopelessly

sour, he is alienated from his teenage daughter, Jane (Thora Birch), who

states vehemently and constantly that she hates him, and he is having the

usual (cliche) middle-age sexual-psychological-and-mental crisis without

really being aware of it.

At which point he quits his job, his wife begins an affair with a

charismatic but shallow colleague (Peter Gallagher) and Jane takes up

with a peculiar, but attractive, senior and new next-door neighbor (Wes

Bently). It should also be noted that Jane has a “best friend,” who, like

everyone else in the film, is not what she seems to be. Mena Suvari (a

nubile Angela) does splendid acting in a showy (also, deliberately

cliche) role.

The mix makes for some laughter from the audience, but this is not a

comedy or even a humorous portrayal of the hidden, but real, traumas not

being coped with very well by these affluent achievers.

To the contrary, this is a very disturbing film. In basic storytelling

ways, Lester serves as the Greek chorus, wryly pointing out some of the

fallacies we’re looking at. But never portentously.

Alan Ball, screenwriter and co-producer of “American Beauty,” develops

his theme with considerable skill and good dialogue, but at a length

disproportionate to its validity. The veteran, talented Conrad Hall’s

cinematography is at times subtle and haunting and brings its own values

to the story.

The entire case is above average, and it’s an easy film that can just

flow over the viewer. It’s also much more than that. The traditional rose

which epitomizes American middle-class culture is the key.

* ELEANORE HUMPHREY, “over 65,” lives in Costa Mesa and is a political

junkie involved with several city committees.

Baseball is backdrop for Costner love story

What do guys love more, sports or women? More importantly, what does a

professional baseball player love more?

Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is hitting a milestone. A pitcher for 19

years, he’s turning 40 and he could lose the love of his life forever.

The only problem is that no one knows what the love of his life is. Is it

his girlfriend or baseball? Chapel has always put baseball first.

Costner has had some great hits and some great misses. “For the Love

of the Game” is a hit. You don’t have to love baseball to enjoy it. The

characters and story grab the audience from the beginning and never let

up. It’s a drama with the pace of an action-adventure and it’s amazing.

It’s hard and fast but also tender and sweet -- the same as Billy Chapel.

The set up and pace of the movie makes it a winning prospect.

The setting is Yankee Stadium. It’s crunch time. Chapel has to win the

last game of the regular season against the Yankees and at the same time

figure out what to do: He’s hit a fork in the road and he can’t go both

ways. It’s baseball or his girlfriend and the clock is ticking.

While everyone else is batting he has time to look back over the past

five years -- and hopefully make a decision. He also has to pitch and

win. Can he come up with the right plan with all the stress and action

around him?

Costner does sports movies well. He brings sports alive. Love stories

are a completely different matter. Those hinge on his co-stars. Kelly

Preston is a pro. Her character, Jane, is a fashion writer afraid of

becoming a groupie. She doesn’t want to be hurt again so she keeps Billy

at a distance.

This couple is like so many others before them on-screen, only this

time it could go either way. It’s not obvious if they love each other or

if they are just entangled in each others’ lives. The end clears up when

all the pieces are revealed.

“For the Love of the Game” is about the games we play, pushing and

pulling all those around us to feel safe. But is it enough to just be

safe? What about excitement and risk?

The greatest part of the movie is that there is no down time. Whether

you laugh or cry, it pushes all the right buttons.

* MELISSA RICHARDSON, 19, is a Costa Mesa resident and a junior at UCI.