"American Beauty," revisited

I’d like to issue a journalistic retraction 17 years after the offending publication: No, “American Beauty” is not “garbage-worthy,” as 16-year-old Me so boldly proclaimed in the Feb. 11, 2000, edition of “The Sting.”

Adult Me re-watched 2000’s Best Picture winner Friday night, the first time since viewing it in the theater. And I laughed. I marveled at the performances, particularly those of Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as they each inched hilariously closer to insanity. Yep, 34-year-old Sam Mendes deserved that Best Director Oscar, and his film earned its Best Picture award. But I don’t need to remind you how good this movie is. I think the rest of the world knows.

Through the space-time continuum vortex, however, my 16-year-old self read my new assessment with gritted teeth. She, apparently, was not a fan of the film and wrote a scathing review entitled “American Beauty exposes the ‘ugly American'” for Roswell High School’s newspaper (Note: this was the same edition of “The Sting” that praised Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman for their “strong, loving relationship” and suggested teen singles spend Valentine’s Day belting out “I Will Survive” at karaoke bars.).

“Trash. That’s a good word to describe it,” 16-year-old Me wrote in the review. (I imagine myself spitting as I read this). “What a shame that you can have a great cast in a movie, add a little pornography, some profanity, leave out the morality, and be left with a two-hour film that you wasted $7.50 of your own good money on.”

Ha! Just $7.50 for a movie ticket? Can you believe it? What’s even more amusing is that chump change wasn’t even my own “good money” because my dad took me to see the film.

And there, perhaps, is the root of my myopic disdain: Can you imagine being a teenage girl watching a father do all the things Lester Burnham does and fantasizes about while sitting beside your own father? It was uncomfortable.

“If you decide to go anyway, remember to leave your dad at home,” went my smart-ass punchline. “I should know.”

I don’t remember what my dad said about the film at the time, but I have a feeling he appreciated the story but wished he had read the synopsis before selecting his movie date.

Curious, I texted him today to find out.

“Do you remember taking me to the theater to see ‘American Beauty’ when I was 16?”

“Yes with the rose petals mom would have hated that movie,” he replied.

“Do you remember if you liked it?”

“I liked it because it was something we did together but no it was very creepy.”

He couldn’t hear me but I was laughing from 3,000 miles away.

“You should rewatch it -- with mom. I think you might enjoy it this time. I rewatched it on Friday, and I think I appreciate it now.”

Adult Me rewatched "American Beauty" on Amazon Prime with Matt, who has been a fan since the film’s release.

“That’s probably one of the worst judgments I’ve ever made about a movie -- especially one that won best picture,” I confessed afterward.

“Wait,” Matt said. “What about ‘Shakespeare in Love?’”

I guess this means he’s still angry about that little gem winning Best Picture over “Saving Private Ryan.” He watched the former with his dad, in the theater, when it first premiered in 1998. Is it on Prime? Perhaps he should revisit it.