NOTHING like American Beauty

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Idiot !

First of all, I think you should look up the meaning of the word pun before you attempt to make another one.

Secondly, there was no child 'nudidity,' or child nudity, in The Ice Storm.

I would also be insulted if someone used this film in the same sentence as American Beauty, because of the ways that film blatantly ripped off of Ang Lee's masterpiece. If it hadn't been for Titanic, this film would have swept the Oscars in '97 and that shallow copy wouldn't even have been filmed.

Of course you never understand what the characters are 'about.' This is because they are realistic, not the kind of stock figures in most Hollywood films, with clear 'motivations' and 'goals.' They are more like the characters of John Cassavetes, (i.e. real people) that live in real life. When was the last time you defined your 'motivation' or 'goal' for the 'scenes' that take place throughout your day? Or that of your mother? Or best friend? These are just Hollywood definitions that bring false order onto what could otherwise be real art. They also apply entirely to characters like Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), but not ones like Ben Hood (Kevin Kline).

I can't think of a single unnecessary moment in the film, and you probably just need to go back and watch it again and maybe pay a bit of attention this time.

Both movies are mediocre.

Watch the original Raisin in the Sun for a good "dysfunctional family" film.

Fallenondays17, this movie came out before American Beauty, and no this movie is not under-developed, the acting is fantastic, and yes if this hadn't been released in the same year as titanic a lot of Oscars would have come to it, what about the undeniably fantastic cinematography, film aren't just made up of the things that you are talking about the actually ice storm sequence was so impressive that it could compensate for any slightly flawed part, no offense but to say that this movie is boring and underdeveloped makes me think that you are not a very deep person and that you enjoy very much movies like prom night and fools gold, don't flatter yourself because your a fan of American Beauty, your simply a fan of the VERY popular film just like everyone else, how can praise a movie that a lot of fans of film love, think your being individual and not sounding repetitive, AND how can you come onto a message onto a message board of a very underrated and under seen film that has a few but very serious fans and bash it by simply comparing it to American Beauty, AND how can honestly believe that all of us will agree with you? I'm sorry my friend but you truly are an idiot.

Have you seen the movie lately? Sigourney and Kevin's characters aren't married.

Even in my dreams I'm an idiot who knows he's about to wake up to reality.

THe similarities to AB are definitely there, though I wouldnt take too much mind of them. We have a sort of morality play in American suburbia, in which we see parents and their children dealing with respective moral dilemmas, each generation being influenced by the other in one way or another. Issues of sex, fidelity, maturity, and drug use feature quite prominently in both. There are similarities, but the two films are quite unique, and both very successful in their own way.

I'm not sure why you dislike The Ice Storm so much. Perhaps its the fact that most of the great acting and character development in this film are non-verbal? I too love American Beauty, and find it superior to The Ice Storm, but that doesnt mean the latter is no good. American Beauty is a lot less subtle in terms of character. Every character at one point or another gives a monologue expressing exactly what is going on inside them and exactly what changes they're going through. In The Ice Storm, it's only the kids (who've been forced to take the role of adults) who give monologues, and none of these little speeches can be taken at face value, as they often can be in American Beauty. I didnt love this movie at first, but as a fellow American Beauty fan, I suggest you give it a second chance and pay some attention to nonverbal cues.

there's no place you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.