American Beauty.

AMERICAN BEAUTY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSSCo3ncYag

Director;Sam Mendes

Actors;

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey)
lazy, bored, dissapointed with life, wife&daughter dissapointed in him, given up, pessimistic, expressing regret-it wasn't always like this, likes his daughter, controlled by wife, treated as a child.
Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening)
Jane Burnham (Thora Birch)
Mena Suvari (Angela Hayes)

About the film;
family is a cliché [typical family]
neutral/bland colours
the roses stand out
red,white,blue [flag]
song is repetitive [life]
bedroom, neat&tidy
roses on jacket

Trapped
behind 'bars' his image reflected in the computer screen.
looking out of the window, bar like.
in the shower- behind the screen.
trapped by his wife- made to wear slippers.
in the shadows when in bed.
only time let out is when he goes to work.
sitting in the back of  car- like a child/teenager.

Family Herachy
father(3)                            the mother is acting like the man (stereotypically)
mother(1)                          (1) driving the car.
daughter(2)                       (2) she's ready first.

A motif is an element that is repeated throughout a text.
The motif can be visual as well as sound/audio- (James Bond theme-used various ways throughout all the films)


Colors
neutral/boring colours- helps created an atmosphere, links to representation of L.B as he is boring etc.
makes the brighter colours stand out [of the motif in this case] stand out.

Music
repetitive- awkward sounding- uncomfortable, music fits the visuals.