American Beauty is an amazing film that explores the nuclear family at the turn-of-the-century. ... She spends her time doing things that no other woman has ever had the time to do, like papering the shelves and taking a q-tip to the grout in the shower. ... Red is a color vividly and effectively used in American Beauty. ... American Beauty delves into the depths of despair that all the characters experience. ... Every character in American Beauty has pressing psychological and social issues. ...