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American Beauty - Patreon Version (Patreon)

Published:
2025-04-19 12:00:28
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

No Sync Required Version: https://cinebingers.ca/bDZDmNH585 - For Patreon tier "Bingers on The Wall" or higher.

movie runtime: 02:01:40

Files

Previews only

American Beauty - Patreon Version

Comments

WalrusWallace

It's been years since the last time I watched this. Can't remember what happened. It'll be like watching it for the first time hehe

Florian Geyer

The cone of shame, you have to look "Up" to get this aaaand to have a pretty good cry

robodong

i feel like a lot of people who say this film hasnt "aged well" really just missed the point. Youre not suppose to like Spaceys character, the movies pretty clear that hes wrong, so if anything its aged perfectly. it just feels like one of those media literacy things, like with starship troopers or american psycho...

Guillaume Huet_rennibou

I had written a comment about the origin of "cone of shame" but realized it's a spoiler for a movie you may not have seen yet. At least you didn't watch it for the channel. So I removed my comment. I wish to Luna a quick complete recovery!

JediLounger

The best reactions are when they forget to put the timer on the video. It’s like you are striking out on an unknown adventure lol.

Odd Thomas

Road to Perdition was Sam Mendes next film and it's arguably even better.

Brandon
>>171450202

I'm not a big fan of this movie, and I can assure you that it's not because I was wanting to like Kevin Spacey's character but found it impossible. I'm using this reaction to watch it again, since it's been years, and see what I think about it this time around.

Thomas Hilbert

Oh I've SO been looking forward to this ever since you announced it

Stephanie Bedworth

The cone of shame is definitely not a punishment, although I think the animal wearing it views it that way a lot of the time. LOL

Maiki

Excellent performances by the whole cast in this one. For more Annette Bening: The American President (1995) and Open Range (2003). Kevin Spacey: K-PAX (2001). Chris Cooper (correct George, he was in the first Bourne): The Town (2010)

Raven Dark

I'll have to find time to watch this whole reaction later, since I've never seen this movie. Listening to you two talk about it afterwards made me want to see it, so thank you for giving me something to do later, when I finish working for the day. George, hearing you and Simone talk about whether you could come up with 35 euphemisms for jerking off, I can't help taking up the challenge. LOL I have no idea if I can get close, but I gotta give it a shot. There is a question as to whether taking the two you said is considered cheating, because I've never heard "milking the one-eyed monster before. That one made me laugh, though. Please note, I have not seen the movie, so I have no idea which one Spacey's character uses, and am not taking them from the film. Also, since this is just for fun, I'll include female equivilehts to meet the quota. Okay, here we go, hee hee. 35 euphemisms for masturbation: 1) Spanking the monkey 2) Having a wank 3) Popping the porpoise 4) Choking the chicken 5) Squeezing the sausage 6) Looping the sausage 7) Strangling the snake 8) Stroking the snake 9) Going to the Pleasure Palace 10) Getting off 11) Jerking off 12) Wanking 13) Jilling 14) Jilling off 15) Tooling the Tommy 15) Tooling the tinkler 16) Visiting Jack 17) Spanking Jack 18) Spanking the wang 19) Rubbing one out 20) Flicking the bean 21) Finishing oneself off 22) Playing in the bush 23) Playing with the lizard 24) Yanking the big one 25) Jerking the Johnson 26) Slapping the shlong 26) Ringing the devil's doorbell 27) Dinging the (big) dipper 28) Dinging the dong 29) Boinking the banger 30) Using the palm sisters 31) Meeting the meat 32) Slamming the ham 33) Polishing the bishop 34) Slinging the shlong 35) "I'll be in my bunk." Whoo hoo, I actually did it. LOL Yes, ladies and gentleman, this is how I spend my time. :D Also, I wanna know the one euphemism that Simone knows. Oh, and at least ten of these I made up, so I hope that isn't cheating.

Ph4ZeD

People complain this hasn’t aged well but I still think it’s banger

Odd Thomas

Midlife crisis was really a big thing in 1999: Fight Club, American Beauty, Office Space - very similar themes but very different tones. Magnolia is another great one from 1999 you should watch.

Brandon

Out of the choices for Best Picture in 1999, I don't think this was the best. But it is SO much better than 'The Cider House Rules' so I'm giving it a pass. Now there's a movie that truly deserves the "doesn't hold up" label. If I had my way 'The Insider' would have won all the awards.

Amelie W

Did you know? Everyone has (on average) one unique species of bacteria living in their belly button. If you clean too hard you might cause an extinction. I used to have an outie when I was younger and skinnier, but my belly grew around it. That probably happens a lot. "The Earth is degenerating today. Bribery and corruption abound. Children no longer obey their parents, every man wants to write a book, and it's evident the end of the world is fast approaching." -Written on a clay tablet in Assyria, ~2800 BC. Yes, people have been complaining about the country going to hell for as long as we've had any conception of things changing over time. Just a few loud misers though. Bonus trivia, "Lester Burnham" is an anagram of "Humbert learns," in reference to the narrator of Lolita, Humbert Humbert.

Kit Taylor

Thanks for watching this you guys. Always been one of my favorite movies. Amazing commentary on both the monotonous nature of life and finding your spark again. So few reactors have done this movie, could be a generational difference. But as soon as I saw you post this I became a subscriber. Keep up the good work.

Mastervodo

Who knew Annette Bening was so bendy?

Mastervodo
>>171458415

I remember this comedian chick said she asked for a new euphemism every night she was on stage. She had several hundred of them collected, and she said she would always get a new one every town she went to.

Ricardo Alanis

I’ve always loved this movie but definitely catch more nuances compared to when it came out. An alternate scene considered was starting the movie with a trial and the video being played as evidence.

CryoniC
>>171454008

Dogs definitely get the most ashamed look if put in a cone 😂. I'm sure the first mention I saw of the cone of shame was on a dog and it had such sad eyes.

REDR58

Simone, never stop with the passive aggressive, slightly malevolent “please subscribe to the channel”messages, please!

pinkdino99

Annette Bening is everything in this movie.

Mr Mafuchi

On the road to 200k subs, Simone gets more and more aggressive about us viewers subscribing. “Give a person power, and you will find their true nature.”

Jason Rivero

Honestly, Carolyn is way more complex than people give her credit for. She’s not just “annoying” — she’s trapped in the same miserable system as Lester, but she deals with it differently. She bought into the whole American Dream idea (success, appearances, control = happiness) and it’s clearly destroying her. All her materialism and perfectionism is really just armor for how scared and lonely she is. Lester’s breakdown gets framed as “freedom,” but Carolyn never gets that kind of sympathetic lens because the story is mostly from his perspective. If you really watch closely, she’s just as tragic as he is, maybe even more. As the tagline says, “look closer”.

E. D.
>>171458339

and in A Time to Kill (1996) (any Grisham fans here? I like his book, not bad written and quite entertaining, the movies too)

Mastervodo

I really love this movie. So many great scenes! If you are reading this before watching the movie, don't. Stop. Go watch the movie. Why are you reading the comments first? You psycho! Not to mention this post is a fucking thesis! Pack a lunch. The introduction of Caroyln, that scene where she's so clueless trying to sell that house was such a roller coaster! You just hate how fake she is, and then she draws the blind and breaks down, and you immediately feel bad about how you just felt about her! Such a great bit of writing and acting there! I think that scene is why Annette was nominated for an Oscar. The scene where Jane undresses for Ricky was so layered. Jane is so self-conscious about her body that she's actually been saving for years for surgery. To reveal herself and be voluntarily vulnerable like that I always thought was so beautiful, and not in a sexual way. And then so jarring when it throws you right into a DV situation with Ricky's dad beating him over something so petty. Another roller coaster scene! The garage scene with Lester and Frank was such a twist, and again, a great performance by Chris Cooper (Who was the head of Treadstone in The Bourne Identity, George. That's what you were thinking). The couch scene between Angela and Lester was also such a twist, but so well done. When it's revealed that Angela ALSO (like so many other characters in this movie) has just been putting forth this completely false persona to cover up her own insecurities and to get the attention that she craves. Something clicks inside Lester's head from seeing her as this fantasy girl, to being a vulnerable, innocent teen girl like his daughter was also so well done. And when she says, "I feel stupid" it just breaks your heart for her! So many instances of that in this movie. The scene where Ricky looks at Lester at the end and smiles was indeed, odd. Jane would have been screaming and/or sobbing or something, not stone quiet. But the whole scene was a callback to Ricky talking about the dead, sad, homeless lady he had on video. He was looking at Lester, and I think he smiles, because I think he sees that Lester died happy, and Ricky is happy for him. Ricky sees the world through a different lens, for sure. Such a great movie. And movies like this are so much fun to watch reactors react to for the first time, because you know the twists coming up, and it's so fun to watch their faces when it happens! Great reaction Cinebinge! Also, shout out to two really cool bluesy mood songs I used to listen to all the time from this movie. Don't Let It Bring You Down (cover) by Annie Lennox and Because (cover) by Elliot Smith. I didn't know these were covers until years after I had watched American Beauty. But they're such a vibe!

E. D.

Am I the only one who constantly forgets who the killer is at the end? 😅 I‘ve seen this movie at least three times but there were many years between those viewings so that I mostly forget who pulls the fucking trigger at the end.

My name is Jeff

2/3 my favorite Mena Suvari movies are done now (American pie and this) now I need the last one too, its called "Loser" from 2000 and it Stars Mena and Jimmy from american pie (Jason Biggs) and Its my favote teen movie ever.

D. T. Nelson

The Alison Janey character suffered emotional abuse because her husband basically ignored her. He never touched her or showed any affection toward her of any kind. The "beauty" Ricky was looking at when he was looking at Lester there at the end was the smile on Lester's face. The look of peace and contentment. Wes Bently was Doyle in Intersteller (The astronaut who dies on the water planet), Seneca Crane in Hunger Games (the one who was in charge of the games who was provided with the poisoned berries at the end as punishment for his failures. He's also the adopted brother on the show Yellowstone. He also appeared in Mission Impossible 6 and 2007's Ghost Rider with Nick Cage (among other thing).

Harry Fieldson

One random funny story is I broke my arm a lot as a kid, and I actually ended up seeing the same doctor a lot. One of the times I broke my arm I randomly asked the doctor if he could do something about my outie when I went into surgery and my mum was like "don't be daft" but the guy interjected and said "to be honest it's one cut and about 3 stitches we can totally just do that if you want whilst you're under. And now I have a nice innie with some little dots where the stitches were haha.

pinkdino99

Thora Birch is incredible with Steve Buscemi and Scarlet Johannson in Ghost World. Massively underrated cult movie.

nigel Macbug

recommendation for a Kevin Spacey film is K PAX 2001

Dan

In the trivia section, you mentioned that under the surface, things aren't as great as they appear. But, I think the reverse is also true, because you aren't actually made to like the characters, either. George specifically said at one point that he didn't like anyone here. But, by the end, you have at least a little sympathy for everyone, even the murderer, because we can also see how they got to be that way. And, aside from Ricky's parents, each seems at least capable of changing, with the right catalyst and change of attitude -- so while Lester ironically ends up getting shot for reasons that have nothing to do with his pedophilia (or his' daughter's dark musings on video), there's an optimism to the movie that everyone can change... and we should appreciate that. If there's anything that's particularly unrealistic about this movie, it's the recovery of a pedophile (I tend to think once one/ always one) but I don't think that should detract from the overall experience, and a message that's worth at least considering, even in the most horrible circumstances (even if you or I don't ultimately agree). So it's a great movie for that, in my mind. Thanks for the reaction! I hope more people re-discover this 90s gem!

Cincassette

Wow, what a great film! This was my first time finally watching it, after having written it off in my mind as just another Lolita-type story, but it turned out to be so much more than that. A slice-of-life of American suburbia. I loved its heightened reality too... not enough films get that abstract or symbolic in their filmmaking anymore. I suppose most modern filmmakers have more of a realistic approach, and forget that cinema is an art-form, and we can get a little impressionistic too! Thematically, I was reminded a lot of "The Ice Storm" (1997), an excellent Ang Lee film that explores a similar suburban American zeitgeist, but with a much more grounded tone. Definitely one to add to your watchlist. Another (quite different) film that came to mind, and I would highly recommend, is "Election" (1999).

PIG
>>171474888

Annette Bening is such an underestimated actor. This is the first thing I saw her in back in the day and she still kills it to this day.

MacGuffinStuff

When this first came out I remember it jumped immediately to the elite of my favorite movies list and stayed there for a while, and now I remember why. Mainly it's the two monologues, the plastic bag bit and the End, they always really hit me and still do apparently. Couple folks beat me to it but I gotta co-sign some recommendations, like in probably my favorite Kevin Spacey movie, "K-Pax", and Thora Birch, Mr. Pink, and a very young Black Widow in "Ghost World". Funny thing is when you guys were talking about American named things I thought of "American Splendor", with Paul Giamatti, funny just because it's about an indie comic and Ghost World is also an indie comic. Good stuff.

Ken

Plenty of countries have walking tours through official tour guide businesses. So not hosted by Uber, but already a thing guys.

Jonas Buckner

"There's just so much trivia in the world. Sometimes I don't think I can take it."

FranciscoGios

Are you guys telling me (specially you Simone) you guys haven’t seen Ghost Rider from 2007 to recognize Wes Bentley from this movie? lol

Grandalf

The great thing about rewatching this film decades apart from when it was new is that it woke me up to what a great director Sam Mendes is. There is some great work in his filmography! Also, at the end, I know Ricky seems to be creepy, but consider his own damage that he has grown up with, he's staring at Lester, and even though the scene is horrifying, he can see that Lester died happy. Strange as fuck, but I can appreciate it. The performances by EVERYONE were amazing. ...also, I can't lie, with hindsight being 20/20, this movie is extra creepy with Spacey as Lester.

Khan1001
>>171507208

Come On Simone!, I thought you are watching Yellowstone?! Wes Bentley = Jamie Dutton! lol

Doug's Night Terrors

I'm not defending the father for punching his son, he absolutely shouldn't have done that. But it wasn’t just about opening a cabinet. He caught his teenage son opening a gun cabinet. So while it wasn’t the right reaction, it wasn’t a completely overblown concern either.

MacGuffinStuff

Catamite, I thought that was funny, you could just say boy prostitute George, we don't usually call gay men sodomites these days either lol. That's a history nerd, like me. Also, Rome, when are you guys gonna watch this?!

Zach McBride

please tell me the kitty is okay!

REDR58

I haven't seen this movie since it was out in theaters. Was a date movie with someone I had just started seeing at the time, so this was a nice revisit and reminder of back then. Anyone who used to watch the original "Quantum Leap will remember Scott Bakula who played Sam in that show. Wonderful series. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7S8xiXDpVY He is also Captain Johnathan Archer in the "Enterprise" Star Trek show. Not so wonderful a series... Mena Sevari, who was 19 when this movie was filmed, unfortunately suffered a lot of sexual abuse and harassment (and worse) before and after starring in this movie. Thora Birch, who was 17, earlier appears in two of the Harrison Ford movies based on books by Tom Clancy ("The Hunt for Red October" author), "Patriot Games" (1992) and "Clear and Present Danger" (1994). The black and white movie Ricky, his father and mother are watching is "This Is the Army" (1943) and you can see then actor and future President Ronald Reagan for a moment on screen. Chris Cooper's character is a Marine, not Army. He keeps introducing himself as such and so it is a little odd, perhaps, that he would be enjoying a movie about the Army given how much Marines are distinct from the Army. A bit of inter-service rivalry, shall we say, maybe, especially what a hardcase he seems to be. Reagan himself served in the US Army for a time. Maybe Frank Fitts just liked Reagan who was, of course, a Conservative like Fitts is. Peter Gallagher's Real Estate King (notice his car license plate reads "R E King" on it) said his wife left to go to New York, so why does he keep sneaking out with Carolyn to a hotel instead of taking her to his home? Maybe he was lying about the wife leaving! The music in this movie by Thomas Newman is really wonderful, particularly the tracks "American Beauty" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucdz7A3s4Wc And "Any Other Name": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xk_L_JKeEE I really enjoyed this movie, especially after seeing it again after so long.

Juley

I think this is an extraordinary film! The writing, directing, acting, music and the incredible cinematography! I love how it weaves the theme of beauty throughout. Sometimes it’s just surface, sometimes it’s wierd, sometimes it’s hidden, and sometimes it’s just desperately heartbreaking. Though he’s such an odd character, Ricky seems to be the only one who really sees it. Those piercing eyes are always looking beyond the mundane. “Look closer.” By the way, did you notice that the only well-adjusted, healthy, happy characters are Jim and Jim, the gay couple next door?

REDR58
>>171511932

I honestly think it was more about him seeing/finding the Nazi plate.

JohnB

George! You missed the trivia where they reveal the owner of the belly button on the poster!

REDR58

Oh and Fitts has a mix of US, German, Japanese, Russian rifles, revolvers and pistols in his gun cabinets. Presumably they are wartime weapons used in the early to mid 1900s and perhaps beyond. https://www.imfdb.org/wiki/American_Beauty And I’m fairly certain that the SIG-Sauer P226 Fitts uses to kill Lester would absolutely destroy the front of his skull when fired point blank like that and definitely not leave his face looking so pristine. After all, where is the exit wound we see all that blood emanate from? I’ll chalk that up to artistic license!

Emily G

You guys should watch Now and Then (1995) cheesy light hearted coming of age film. It has Thora Birch in that as well.

davetheimp

Thanks so much for the reaction. I absolutely loved re-watching the movie with you guys. I watched it in the theater when it first came out and have returned to it several times over the years and I find that it holds up incredibly well.

Richard Thrust
>>171502277

Ghost World is a good film, but IIRC there's also some mildly problematic stuff in it. If I were a reactor I wouldn't want to watch it for a reaction; then again I also wouldn't want to do a reaction while high, so George and Simone may feel differently.

Dor

Please don't take offense, I'm not coming at you two in particular, but your reactions to this film were a great example of how the primary objectives when consuming media have become the application of moral judgment on and the apportionment of blame among the fictional characters. I think that's why this movie's legacy has suffered over the last 20 years - the general mode of watching movies and evaluating stories has changed.

Truth

Now that you've seen this and American Pie you have to watch the Not Another Teen Movie. Its a parody of teen movies like Scary Movie. Its hilarious.

China Andronicus

Wes Bentley in the Hunger Games is the one running the whole thing, who gets served a bowl of poisoned berries at the film’s conclusion. He’s got a crazy beard. I understand thinking Ricky is creepy for staring at Lester’s corpse, but I saw this upon release when I was fourteen and that scene made me cry. My sister thought I was nuts but seeing Lester smiling, the fact that after all the sedation and then the drama, he had found some real happiness in something true, was beautiful to me.

beecroft adams

I thought it was called cone of shame because pets needed surgery after they ate something they shouldn't have.

Jesse Coombs

Looking beyond the perfect suburban life and finding something rancid. I think it's time for you guys to watch "Blue Velvet".

Ste Rawlings

Simone reminds me so much of Frances from Frances Ha at times, it's uncanny.

Ricardo Alanis

Also one of my favorite movie scores by Thomas Newman. Another is The Piano by Michael Nyman.

Tay Schumaker

It will never be picked because it’s not known at all, but I always recommend people who like this movie to watch The United States of Leland. Starring a very young Ryan Gosling and Kevin Spacey is in it as well. Deals with similar themes.

Tay Schumaker

Also I love cats and I love Simone’s cat and feel bad he’s got the cone of shame on. But listening to it purr into the microphone for like 20 minutes straight almost broke me

Nick Stark

This movie changes you. It forces oneself to examine not only how damaged people can become, but to look inwards. To see that all of us experience pain. Watching you both react and experience this cinematic masterpiece was awesome. It obviously moved you both.

Gary Fixler

That walking buddy thing reminds me of February, 2021. Because of the virus out of Wuhan, and because the people targeting Chinese people at that time were cowards, there was a spate of attacks on elderly Chinese people in California, so a grassroots movement sprung up with people offering to walk them to their cars, buses, etc., and protect them. Hundreds of people signed up, and were taken care of by the good people. https://compassioninoakland.org/

Gary Fixler

I'm amazed how much of this stuck with me since seeing it that one and only time in 1999. So much was so familiar. I thought about that stupid bag for weeks. There were so many levels to it to my young mind, like what was presented in the film, but also that someone wrote that, and wondering if they also had that experience, and that it was actually beautiful, if I dropped my cynicism, and that so much of the world really was, if you just look for a minute and let it in. I don't know if it's why I am like I am, but it maybe played a part. I get lost in tons of things, like wondering about a tree, looking something up, and then getting lost in tree stuff for 2 years, every night (it's all surprisingly fascinating, and so much is that we never notice). My whole life is deep dives into random things like that. Oh, and the whole theater laughed really hard at the "I rule" fist pump when he revealed he bought the car, but you guys didn't react at all 😆 I guess something about that lost its humor in the years between 1999 and 2025.