History YMMV / AmericanBeauty

* UnfortunateImplications: Inverted. The only normal/stable/sane people in the entire film are the StraightGay Two Jims.

* HilariousInHindsight / FridgeBrilliance: A surprising number of the film's lines are even funnier on second viewing, when you already know the truth of the characters.

* CrowningMomentOfAwesome: Lester quitting his job, and pretty much everything he does after.
** Ricky has two in swift sucession: Telling his father that he's a prostitute, just to mess with his head, and then telling Angela that she's 'ugly, boring and totally ordinary' to get back at her for being a bitch to Jane.
* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in." If you don't think that watching a plastic bag dancing in the wind could ever make you cry, [[{{Tearjerker}} you're wrong.]]

* FridgeHorror: Assuming, of course, Frank gets caught, but if he ever did, what would happen to Barbara? The woman is a shell, incapable of any thought for herself, if Frank ever left, since Ricky was booted...what would happen to her?
** There is bound to be a large police investigation, and it won't take long for them to find the video of Jane and Ricky discussing killing Lester - such an incriminating tape could so easily be used against them as evidence [[spoiler:and in the original script, it was probably the tape that sealed their conviction]] - the camera was turned off before they confirmed to each other that they were joking. They will probably also find Ricky's stash of cannabis, which will work against him too. Their only hope is if [[spoiler:Frank]] owns up or they find [[spoiler:his bloodied shirt]] - both unlikely (the latter is easily disposed of).

* TearJerker: Lester's death and final monologue.
** Ricky saying goodbye to his mother before leaving home.

* TrueArtIsAngsty
* TrueArtIsOffensive: The film's frank references to and critical look at sexuality was praised by many. Currently, [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny what's featured in the film doesn't seem that offensive by modern standards]].

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: eEpecially since a film that looked at the darker nature of suburbia was considered a marvel then, but the themes tackled in this film have been more common by now.

* HypeAversion: Some people thought it was over-hyped ... including, amazingly, the director.

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: especially since a film that looked at the darker nature of suburbia was considered a marvel then, but the themes tackled in this film have been more common by now.

* {{Narm}}: While the message -- that beauty is all around us if we know where to look -- is fine, many viewers found the sheer awe that several of the characters regarded that little plastic bag with as being a little bit overwrought and pretentious.

* {{Narm}}: While the message -- that beauty is all around us if we know where to look -- is fine, many viewers found the sheer awe that several of the characters regarded that little plastic bag as being a little bit overwrought and pretentious.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: Too many to list, but one that never fails to get laughs is the hilarious aversion of HollywoodSex between Carolyn and Buddy Kane.
** "Fuck me, Your Majesty!"
** "Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus."
** "Smile! You're at Mr. Smiley's!"
** Lester's BigShutUp moment, in which he throws his plate at the wall, chews out his wife and daughter, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and then criticizes the choice of dinner music.]]

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: [[YourMileageMayVary To some]], especially since a film that looked at the darker nature of suburbia was considered a marvel then, but the themes tackled in this film have been more common by now.

* ValuesDissonance: The criticism from most of the negative reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Mostly about appearing to glamorize the lifestyle of the man ''after'' he starts neglecting his responsibilities to his family in favor of buying drugs from and trying to seduce high schools students (as a middle-aged man), as well as further trying to avoid responsibility by getting an entry level job, despite his family's middle-class lifestyle and daughter approaching college age. Responsibility [[{{Understatement}} doesn't seem to go hand in hand with happiness]] for the protagonist in this movie.

* BittersweetEnding / DownerEnding / EsotericHappyEnding: [[YourMileageMayVary Depending on what perspective you take from the ending.]]

* AwardSnub: Despite the praise it recicived, Thomas Newman's score failed to win a Oscar. Some also were disappointed that Chris Cooper didn't recicive a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role.

* CrowningMomentOfFunny: too many to list, but one that never fails to get laughs is the hilarious aversion of HollywoodSex between Carolyn and Buddy Kane.
** "Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go fuck himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus. "

* CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming: "Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in." Never has this troper thought that watching a plastic bag dancing in the wind would make him cry. [[{{Tearjerker}} He was wrong.]]

* HilariousInHindsight / FridgeBrilliance: a surprising number of the film's lines are even funnier on second viewing, when you already know the truth of the characters.
* HypeAversion: Some people thought it was overhyped...including, amazingly, the director.
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: [[YourMileageMayVary To some]], espically since a film that looked at the darker nature of surbaria was conderised a marvel then, but the themes tackled in this film have been more common by now.
* TearJerker: Lester's final speech.

* TrueArtIsOffensive: The film's references & look at sexuality was praised by many. Currently, [[SeinfeldIsUnfunny what's featured in the film doesn't seem that offensive by modern standards]].
* UnfortunateImplications: ''Inverted''. The only normal/stable/sane people in the entire film are the StraightGay Two Jims.
* ValuesDissonance: The criticism from most of the negative reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. Mostly about appearing to glamorize the lifestyle of the man ''after'' he starts neglecting his responsibilities to his family in favor of buying drugs from and trying to seduce high schools students (as a middle aged man), as well as further trying to avoid responsibility by getting an entry level job, despite his family's middle class lifestyle and daughter approaching college age. Responsibility [[{{Understatement}} doesn't seem to go hand and hand]] with happiness for the protagonist in this movie.

* BitTersweetEnding/DownerEnding/EsotericHappyEnding: [[YourMileageMayVary Depending on what perspective you take from the ending.]]

* BitersweetEnding/DownerEnding/EsotericHappyEnding: [[YourMileageMayVary Depending on what perspective you take from the ending.]]

* HilariousInHindsight / FridgeBrillance: a surprising number of the film's lines are even funnier on second viewing, when you already know the truth of the characters.

* HilariousInHindsight: a surprising number of the film's lines are even funnier on second viewing, when you already know the truth of the characters.

* TearJerker