American Beauty is a comedy/drama about a middle aged man who is in an unhappy marriage and is fed up with his routine of a life with a woman who never sleeps with him and with a job that he has been trying to get something out of his whole life. He decides to quit his job and do what is not allowed which leads into a 'hysterical and eventually tragically uplifting film which leaves him killed.
I really like this film as it has a strong drama side to it which leaves the audience trapped in, relating to the characters but at the same time it makes you take a step back by adding elements of comedy wether it is in the costumes the script or the storyline.
Red is the main motif of the film as the colour red is incorporated in the film many times in almost every scene.
This works well with the films as the colour red in the American culture symbolises love, life and death. Love is shared by the teenager who falls in love for the first time. the life which the middle aged father is tired of and wants to improve and the tragic death of him dying. The motif red is shown through the teenager daughters best friend which is a very good idea as the father fancies her teenager daughters friend and every time he sees her he becomes closer to sleeping with her which is dangerous.
The films shows the feeling emotions of the main characters by showing their stories, however as soon as it gets sad and emotional the director takes a step back by adding a sense of comedy to the script.
Angela Hayes
The reason why i chose 'Mena Suvari' who plays Angela Hayes in the film is becase she has a relatively small part in the film, however she is very important as the motif 'red' is shown through her. I really like the way in which this is done as eveytime she is around the audience feels on edge as they know that she can get the Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) who plays the father in the film, into a lot of trouble, therefore everyone she is on the screen bright red roses surround her to show her importance.
She is a teenager who keeps an apperecance up of a cool girl who doesn't care about anything and doesn't need anyone, but as the film progresses we get to see her true feeling of lonliness and the need of someone to comfort her which is why she gets attached to her friends dad in the film.
The colour red which was shown through Angela Hayes was made more and more extreme every time she was in a scene which helped the audience understand that something was about to happen which helped move the plot along.
The use of make up in american beauty
Hair and make up is an important part in American Beauty as it shows what the world perceives as 'beautiful'.
Carolyn Burnham and Angela Hayes are very similar to each other as they are both obsessed with their appearance and want the world to see them as beautiful and successful. They both mask their unhappiness behind their flawless make up hair and dress sense, however towards the end of the film they both cannot keep up with hiding behind all of the hair and make up therefore their true feelings and emotions start to show.
Angela Hayes is the ideal american beauty with her barbie like features of a slim blonde teenager therefore the make up used on her is more on the natural side to enhance her beauty. However towards the end of the film Angela's emotions get the best of her which is shown through her make up. Mascara running down her face, frizzy hair and simple clothes.
On the other hand the hair and make up for Jane is the complete opposite. She starts of as this gothic teenager which is shown by the use of dark eyeshadow and lipsticks to show that she is an outsider. This changes when she gets a boyfriend and becomes more confident and towards the end of the film the ideal beauty which was focused on Angela Hayes changes to Jane.
She is a teenager who keeps an apperecance up of a cool girl who doesn't care about anything and doesn't need anyone, but as the film progresses we get to see her true feeling of lonliness and the need of someone to comfort her which is why she gets attached to her friends dad in the film.
The colour red which was shown through Angela Hayes was made more and more extreme every time she was in a scene which helped the audience understand that something was about to happen which helped move the plot along.
The use of make up in american beauty
Hair and make up is an important part in American Beauty as it shows what the world perceives as 'beautiful'.
Carolyn Burnham and Angela Hayes are very similar to each other as they are both obsessed with their appearance and want the world to see them as beautiful and successful. They both mask their unhappiness behind their flawless make up hair and dress sense, however towards the end of the film they both cannot keep up with hiding behind all of the hair and make up therefore their true feelings and emotions start to show.
Angela Hayes is the ideal american beauty with her barbie like features of a slim blonde teenager therefore the make up used on her is more on the natural side to enhance her beauty. However towards the end of the film Angela's emotions get the best of her which is shown through her make up. Mascara running down her face, frizzy hair and simple clothes. 
On the other hand the hair and make up for Jane is the complete opposite. She starts of as this gothic teenager which is shown by the use of dark eyeshadow and lipsticks to show that she is an outsider. This changes when she gets a boyfriend and becomes more confident and towards the end of the film the ideal beauty which was focused on Angela Hayes changes to Jane. 
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