Angela was neither "boring" nor was she "ordinary"
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — American Beauty
TheGoforth — 10 years ago(August 23, 2015 08:36 AM)
She's the only joyful character in the entire film. Okay, she's a little self absorbed but it was all part of a social performance. She had a good heart. I feel that Ricky's assessment of Angela was really more of a statement about his own failings to relate to people on a personable level, she was an easy target upon which he could project his own insecurities.
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TxMike — 10 years ago(August 23, 2015 08:51 AM)
Or simply that is what Ricky saw, which was right through Angela's fake existence, to him she was "ordinary and boring". I never felt the script was trying to necessarily convince the audience that she was ordinary and boring.
However I share Ricky's point of view, she was not a genuine person, as demonstrated by her attitude that sleeping with men to get ahead was just a requirement for achieving her ambitions. She was "boring and ordinary" in comparison to what she wanted people to think she was.
.... TxMike ....
Make a choice, to take a chance, to make a difference. -
TheGoforth — 10 years ago(August 23, 2015 08:55 AM)
The problem is in one's definition of 'genuine' though. All the world is a stage, as the Bard says. Angela was acting a role. Ricky refused to 'play' in a social sense and that, to me, made HIM very boring, morose and lacking in vitality or charisma.
When Angela would joke about having sex with Jane's dad, not once did I ever get the sense of her being malicious with that intent, she was having fun with the absurd scenario. I just found the character completely charming! -
homerj2us — 9 years ago(August 13, 2016 01:00 AM)
I think you're a creepy dude with "Mrs." attached to your name like the ten other guys on this board jerking off to the thought of a teenaged Mena Suvari beep you. "Lacking in vitality or charisma". You're another Lester_Burnham_Rises.
You're bonkers. One profile isn't enough to promote ephebophilia, creepo? -
Fruitbatt — 10 years ago(December 15, 2015 02:09 AM)
Remember the scene where she almost has sex with Lester and she reveals she's a version? Angela was all talk. She truly was ordinary. Just another self absorbed, young girl. In contrast, Janie was more real, more humble, less ordinary.
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jawn030 — 10 years ago(December 06, 2015 08:43 PM)
I think you might have missed some of the points this film was making. It might sound cliche, but she truly is "ordinary" and "boring" in the context of American culture. Most people in this country are materialistic and shallow, two traits she possesses in spades. The title of the film alludes to this point, and Ricky calling her out like that was just a way of continuing this theme. Ricky and Jane, in this context, are not "boring" or "ordinary".
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Lester_Burnham_Risen — 10 years ago(December 07, 2015 04:13 PM)
Yes but moreso she is the Lolita of 40 years later and 30 years after small f feminist "revolution" [as depicted by Caroline ("Catherine" - see Jules and Jim) Burnham].
She was chosen as a look alike and given same hairdo and of course her name is Hayes, same as Lolita Haze, BOTH names a ref to Hays Code.
The point is even without the Hays Code any more the AB transforms Lolita from a free wheeling sexual being to a frigid totally commercialized zombie, all ready to slip further into Facebook and selfies in the next decade.
So the Beauty did not peak in 1999.
Both girls knew the effect they had on men at age 14 but Lolita just USED that advantage to control 2 older men, but Angela only has "talk" which is why she needs Plain Jane as her "doormat".
http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/ -
Lester_Burnham_Risen — 10 years ago(December 07, 2015 09:06 PM)
The point is even without the Hays Code any more the AB transforms Lolita from a free wheeling sexual being to a frigid totally commercialized zombie, all ready to slip further into Facebook and selfies in the next decade.
But the great pity was Lester was her last chance before she went "over the hill" sexually [see Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Sandy] but he got killed by a fag and a closet fag at that.
The law might say 18 but any girl who has not got their wild oats by 15 or so IS going to be a screwed up example like Angela.
http://www.kindleflippages.com/ablog/ -
cartesianthought — 10 years ago(January 01, 2016 11:52 PM)
I think all (or at least most of the characters) in the film have their flaws but are still genuinely human beings. Yes, Angela was shown to be superficial and vain throughout the film, but the scene in which she and Lester were almost about to have sex made the point to the effect of "Yes, even if she's the vain cheerleader, she's still a human being with feelings".
And Jane, despite being more edgy and goth, didn't really have more depth than Angela. As far as Ricky's statements, I don't think he meant to project anything. She attacked him first (despite pursuing an unconventional relatonship herself) and he just fired back. -
jname967 — 10 years ago(January 25, 2016 03:56 PM)
Remember the scene where she almost has sex with Lester and she reveals she's a version? Angela was all talk. She truly was ordinary. Just another self absorbed, young girl. In contrast, Janie was more real, more humble, less ordinary.
This is very true. The line wasn't saying that Angela had nothing "alluring" about her. Obviously, she had physical beauty on her sidewhich, although superficial, definitely set her apart from others. Hence, she can seem anything BUT "ordinary." But it was Angela's motives and desires that made her ordinary: she was a conformist, basically. She was vapid and superficial in her approach to lifewhich is not original or unique in any way. I think that's what Ricky was getting at more. He's not saying she's forgettable altogether, but that she lacks any true originality. -
fiatlux-1 — 9 years ago(July 19, 2016 07:15 PM)
The line wasn't saying that Angela had nothing "alluring" about her. Obviously, she had physical beauty on her sidewhich, although superficial, definitely set her apart from others. Hence, she can seem anything BUT "ordinary." But it was Angela's motives and desires that made her ordinary: she was a conformist, basically. She was vapid and superficial in her approach to lifewhich is not original or unique in any way. I think that's what Ricky was getting at more. He's not saying she's forgettable altogether, but that she lacks any true originality.
Exactly, jname967. I agree 100%.
Ricky was saying that she was an everyday conformist, acting like something she wasn't, trying to be better than everyone, calling Jane ugly just to make her own self feel better.
Angela had spent the entire film basically using Jane to feel better about herself, by putting her down!
Jane wasn't perfect personality-wise either, not by a long shot, but she was a friend to Angela despite being insulted AND lied to!
Angela was phony.
I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus.
Didn't he discover America?
Penfold, shush. -
Picnic10 — 9 years ago(July 18, 2016 11:58 AM)
I agree Mrsgoforth. A disappointment of this film for me is that deadeyed monotone poor man's Forrest Gump (plastic bag = feather) drug addict Ricky Fitz seems to get away with insulting Angela. Thora Birch's character, far from innocent or kind, goes along with this assessment like some zombie. Angela is the only one with optimistic innocence in the entire film!
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aer71367-313-155069 — 9 years ago(August 29, 2016 01:09 PM)
Ricky was bang on with his assessment of Angela. She was behaving like a slew of other girls her age. And as Ricky had been to multiple schools he's more than likely seen his fair share. And because she can't handle the truth about herself, she goes downstairs to have sex with her friend's father?