Veryfunny,very34;AmericanBeauty34;

ItstartedwithSamFullersquot;NakedKissquot;,circa1964.Butitisnotuntilafterquot;AmericanBeautyquot;thatasardonicviewofsuburanlifehasbecomemainstream.Thenscreensbigansmallhavebeenfloodedwithclichedattacksonmiddle-classrespectability.Ifquot;Weedsquot;hasbeenbuiltonthispremisealone,thejokeswouldhavegottiresomeprettyquickly.Butnoooo-nooo-nooo-no!Thebestjokesinquot;Weedsquot;,infact,havelittletodowithsuburbiaperse.Asgoodjokesshouldbe,theyaremorewhimsicaltofitintoanyeasysocialcategory.Forexample,wheredoesthebattery-for-dildobitbelonginthegrandthemesofcontemporaryAmericansociology?OrthesituationaljokeofhavingCeliasittingdownwiththequot;TennisProquot;forendlessroundsofdrinks,whilethependulumofherangerswaysbetweenherhusbandandhismistress?Sometimesthewritersletthesamejokerunabittired,likeCeliasseveralfondfarewellstoherbreasts.Thensomeoftheactionsascribedtoacharacterarenotwellthoughtoutenoughtobeplausible;example:NancysmashingtheDVwithherhusbandsmemory.Sure,someonecandothatanditwouldntinvalidatetheiremotions;butinthecaseofNancy,wefeelthatthenicemiddle-classupbringinga=thatwespotinhertemperamentwouldnthaveallowedthisparticularoutburst.Infact,thegreatestthingaboutMary-LouiseParkerasNancyisherconvincingmiddle-calsssoccer-mom-ness.Noneofthehigh-baroquenessoftheabsurdcharactersinquot;DesperateHousewivesquot;,orthetropical-birdexoticaofAnnetteBeninginquot;quot;AmericanBeautyquot;orFrancesConroy(Ruth)inquot;SixFeetUnderquot;.Nancyiscreditableanddesirableasamotherandwife;oneeasilysubscribestohermeritsasaLongtimeCompanion(punonherground-breaking1990movieconfrontingAIDS).Well,Parkerhassurewalkedfarsinceherquot;FriedGreenTomatoesquot;days.Bravo!