American Beauty Plastic Bag Scene

[computarman]

In the corner of a building the shape causes little mini tornadoes to form if there is wind. I suppose tornadoes bid or small are part of the coriolis effect of the earth's rotation, whitch is aprox. 733 mph at 45 north.

[PandoraKyss]

While this is all poetic, I still want to punch him in the face.

[lillyflower2253]

rwj brought me here thumbs up =]

[XsweetChick17]

@lillyflower2253 brought me. but no thumbs up.

[PSNnightmare]

rwj

[AlexanderBstrm]

Sometimes there's so much... magnets.. in the world..

[UndercoverCracker]

Wow...

[sqweebel1]

Its just a piece of trash moving in the wind! Do you have any idea how complicated your circulatory system is?

[LaddieGalicia]

HAHA

[DROCK2265]

This part does come off as a bit cliche, but it is still completely true.

[FellowMusicFan1]

God that was the single worst monologue I've ever watched in a movie. Whoever wrote that really was trying to come off as genuine but it just came off as supremely cheesy. If they would've changed the context of the scene it could've been great. Still an awesome movie though.

[Zyklowa]

the people calling this scene cheesy dont understand it at all.

this is one of the deepest scenes in a movie ever made, ever.

[memokk]

that guy looks like a villian lol

[pirate1540]

just a trash not special

[horsedoctorman]

One of the worst scenes in any movie ever made... I have to watch it over again because I can't believe how bad it is. "Fuck I can't take it..."

[tool619]

plastic bag movie. trash. Magnolia was way better.

[Stiny114]

Ya'll are missing the point. I thought it was kinda meaningless at first. Really, it made sense when we see it again at the end of the film. The bag is supposed to represent how we need to live our lives to the fullest and enjoy every minute of it. Even something as simple as this can be beautiful. It's a good message. God, what a film.

[stfcgrey]

i often look at the beauty of the world and have to look away or stop myself because it is too perfect and too beautiful and it almost crushes me. seeing this scene in the film is the 1st time i realised that i wasn't alone in this concept. it is a staggering scene for those that can relate to it. those who mock it make it seem more unique to those who relate to it and make it more special. sounds stupid to the stupid, but important to those in the know.

[kanekane28]

Wow, wish getting laid was really this easy.

[katetheoneandonly]

i can no longer take this seriously because of katy perry.

[elitestar]

this scene almost ruined the whole movie for me. It was incredibly cheesy and, contrary to what the director might try to invoke, was not thought-provoking. Thankfully it was short enough so I could forget about it by the end of the movie. This movie still remains as one of my favorites of all time.

[moonmaidens]

if this actually changed your life i feel sorry for you. its so cheesy. cant you people think on your own without hollywood "changing your life"

[dinkhead1]

@moonmaidens if it changed someone's life, be happy for them. don't pity them, unless you WANT to be a dickhead.

[schizoidchimp]

this is cheesy as fuck and lmfao at all of you getting emotional over this

[CD2kay7]

@SubliminalDeath666 haha straight to the point! agreed.

[dinkhead1]

@SubliminalDeath666 you didn't get the point of the movie

[cuntylishus]

@dinkhead1 And you didn't get the Family Guy reference. :)

[metalheadache1972]

every moment is beauty.

[TheNEWfilmfanatic99]

I thought the rest of the move was funny besides this. This part made me laugh unintentionaly. lol

[bear549]

@TheNEWfilmfanatic99 If you laughed at this you 1) are very immature or 2) or you have a problem.

[NickDouglas]

Classy transition there, Mr. Peterson's Fifth Grade A/V Club.

[tessa6300]

@NickDouglas I just laughed so hard at that

[anonymous9191]

@billy0240 it means something like... beyond reality, beyond the world as we see it and live in it... for example, heaven and god these things are transcendental.. i hope i could help you ? :D

[anonymous9191]

brings me tears everytime i watch it .

[keith11689]

I loved this scene. Something so simple, yet with so much meaning behind it

[ledzepfolife]

@keith11689 Perhaps... too much meaning?

[skysearcherblue]

a profound meditation on life and transience. The iconic scene of a plastic bag caught in an updraft and dancing amid the leaves of the Fall stunningly captures the rhythm, poetry, majesty and meaning of the Fall, provoking us to reflection on the very nature of existence. Are were merely little on the breeze like the plastic bag or is there is greater, grander plan in place for us….?

[Neptancos1]

oh shi this is the best part

[gianca60]

Could be sublime or ridiculous, maybe was conceived this way...

[waynerooney182]

One of the best movie scenes of all time!

[AnGelBaByy100]

Wow evrytyme I see this scene I jus thnk of hw Ricky fitts jus turns me on wiht those eyes...

[omxpablo19]

@AnGelBaByy100 lol, ookayyy.

[vitaminfian]

This scene is fucking amazing!

[Tenkagethewise]

Truly, what is beauty, answer me this

[70ucH]

@Tenkagethewise , It's when your mind is observing something that is more positive than negative. Something that contains more love, than hate. It feels like all your senses are touching this object and feeling of pure love - beauty.

You can find beauty in absolutely everything. You just have to seek it.

[Tenkagethewise]

@70ucH now that is poetic....seriously I'm impressed

[LampoonedHerd]

@last we may all share this emote soon... it is 'costing' for some of us to contain it all.

[N00bHatir]

ITS JUST A PLASTIC BAG! DO YOU KNOW HOW INTRICATE YOUR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IS!- God

[GregHuismans]

This guy was perfectly cast. He was a psycho freak in real life...you can see it in his eyes. Gives me the creeps.

[GreenIce221]

this scene is depicting a peak experience; in the maslowian sense.

[arievanscholten]

Well, if this was just an video on the internet it wouldn't matter, but it seems when someone gives a narrative to it, it becomes something important. Like if there is no imagination anymore [T.V kills the imagination?] maybe thats where it comes from.

[kx85rider79]

flannelshirtss wow fuck you its my fucking opinnion piss off

[maehume]

it's just a paper bag flying in wind! do you have any idea how complex your circulatory system is!

[flannelshirtss]

you are a fucking idiot.

[N00bHatir]

damn you! I was gonna say that!

[csswafford]

the way i take it, is that, from this simple little bag, he realized the purpose, the purpose of existance, not because the bag, looked cool, not because its a rare, but simple thing, but because, its so simple, and beautiful, that he understands we take life for granted, all of the things that are interconnected to eachother, in a way that is just too perfect, and in this simple scene, he realizes it.

[diztanguy]

have you ever seen a walmart bag flying?it s one of the most poetic thing to watch.safeway bags aren t as much poetic.

[flipwiggins]

What's so beautiful about it is, that you don't see things like that everyday! There is all sorts of magic that happens in plain sight, if you would turn off your mutha ------ cell phone for a second and look for it!!!!!!!!!

[OIVIG]

Magnets how do they work?

[flipwiggins]

@OIVIG  Inside each magnet are floating bags, which in turn cause magnets to move toward each other when the bags float in one direction, and repel when the bags float the opposite direction.

[jboy1711]

@OIVIG ....i love you

[operbathosa]

What he is stating is that beauty can represent pain, often evoked in mundane(intermundane) things of no importance but the relevance is the effect and relationship it has on one's feelings as represented by something else. This "something else" is of paramount importance and of considerable debate.

[collectcash]

operbathosa, I'm not following you but I'm intrigued. Can you explain your statement in another way? Thanks.

[kx85rider79]

whats so great about that?

[flannelshirtss]

fucking everything. don't be ignorant. think about it.

[topoamargado]

this part changed my life...seriously

[patrickmanning94]

@topoamargado Me too.

[bear549]

@topoamargado It was the equivalent of a religious experience for me, the pivotal moment of the film in which (he) realizes that 'cruelties of this world' can be transcended by beauty and truth.

[Jabroni05]

@topoamargado you must have an immensely boring life

[EPICPokerTV4]

@topoamargado how

[Llarky]

sensational crap

[8bitJoker]

This part was deep.

[johnsomnia]

For movies that actually do justice to the idea of understanding our place in an indifferent universe, see No Country For Old Men (Coen Brothers), and Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen). I'll take their honesty as they grapple with our struggle to find meaning in the darkness over this movie's preachy, pretentious horseshit.

[collectcash]

Perhaps this movie is not trying to understand our place in an indifferent universe. I think it assumes that the universe is benevolent, not indifferent (eg: plastic bag scene).

[johnsomnia]

The movie clearly disputes that the universe is indifferent, therefore it is silly Hollywood hogwash.

[collectcash]

The statement that the universe is indifferent is an assumption. You may have all kinds of reasons for believing the universe is indifferent, but it is still ultimately an assumption, a choice, just as believing otherwise is also an assumption.

[johnsomnia]

Right. Just as it is an assumption to believe that there are no invisible elves and nose goblins that nobody can ever see, living among us everywhere, in a parallel but connected dimension, laughing merrily and acheiving cross-commune communication by whispering to bluebirds who act as messengers.

It is up to those who anthropomorphize the universe to prove their silly beliefs; basic "burden of proof" rule. This movie chooses not to. Indifference can be assumed of all things inanimate.

[collectcash]

Yes, as you said, indifference can be assumed of all things inanimate - the point being that it is an assumption.

Lol, elves, goblins and bluebirds in secret communication!! I think it's safe to assume that this is not happening - but oops there I go making another assumption.

[collectcash]

The burden of proof lies with those who argue from assumptions, which we both did. If you want to argue opinions, that is one thing, but fact, and I mean truly indisputable knowledge (there is precious little that we can "know") that is entirely something else. You argue your opinion, rightfully so, but you try to disguise it as unapproachable scientific truth. I call bullshit - and please, with all your apparent intelligence, don't denigrate the rest of us with all the superfluous adjectives.

[johnsomnia]

No, again, burden of proof is on the positive claimant. Anthropomorphization is assumptuous when speaking of the inanimate, but figuring a lack of emotion and consciousness is not, for that is the ostensible truth and in fact the definition of being inanimate in the first place. Gotta laugh - I've never been called out for "assuming" that a collection of gasses, stars, planets and galaxies didn't have feelings of its own. I wonder if the Milky Way would find this movie as shitty as I do.

[collectcash]

Okay, I think there has been a miscommunication throughout this entire exchange, and I believe it's my fault - my apologies if that is true. I have been thinking throughout that we were discussing the existence of "god". When you referred to the universe as indifferent, I assumed (shame on me) that you meant the universe is godless (I still assume you think that - but I thought you were specifically referring to a godless universe when you used that phrase). continued

[collectcash]

When I referred to the universe as benevolent, I meant a universe that is the creation of "god". I did not mean that the inanimate objects found in the universe are projecting benevolence towards the occupants of the universe because they are somehow imbued with emotion and consciousness. I meant that a divine presence within, above, throughout, under, (whatever) projects that benevolence.

[collectcash]

I admit that "the universe is benevolent" is an assumption on my part and anyone else who subscribes to it. My purpose in contending with you has been to see if you wil concede that the statement "the universe is indifferent" (ie: the universe is godless, that its existence and configuration is completely random) is also an assumption, a belief, but not a knowable truth.

[collectcash]

Lol, I don't want to speculate on the Milky Way's opinions - she may not have seen this movie yet. I also don't want to argue whether this movie is shit or gold - opinions are useless unless you can discuss the reasoning behind them, which is what I was attempting to do.

[johnsomnia]

I agree a lower burden of proof is needed to say "I don't know if the universe is indifferent," however "the universe is not mindful of arbitrary human notions" has a much lower burden than, "there are guiding forces that care about whether something is beautiful." Whoever is claiming that something "Is" is always out on a limb, sort of the inverse of "you can't prove a negative." Lack of evidence to support that positive claim increases the burden. I wouldn't dare taunt logic so flagrantly.

[collectcash]

Do you mean that a lower burden of proof is needed to say point blank "the universe is indifferent"? There is no burden of proof in saying "I don't know if the universe is indifferent" because there is no burden of proof in not knowing. Actually, this is the only truly logical position to take on the universe's indifference or benevolence, the existence or non-existence of "god". We cannot know this with our resources as human beings. We can only make assumptions of belief or disbelief.

[milnusthegnome]

youre just creating a cliche on something so simply beautiful.

[collectcash]

@milnusthegnome can you elaborate on that? what cliche am I creating?

[milnusthegnome]

drop philosophy, beauty should not be thought so deeply about

[collectcash]

@milnusthegnome I get what you're saying now: let the feelings that the scene evoke wash over you instead of trying to analyze the scene. I agree to a point. However, I don't think the beauty of the scene is in the bag itself, the beauty is instead in his realization that the dancing bag reveals that "entire life behind things". I think that is something that needs to be felt, but also thought about.

[Apmhflick]

"Beauty is truth--truth beauty.

That is all ye know on earth

And all ye need to know."

--John Keats

[milnusthegnome]

eh ....

[johnsomnia]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder: an old and not particularly revelatory message. There is an equal amount of ugliness around us as well. This is saccharine to an extreme, representing only a choice to be blindly optimistic, but that doesn't make reality mutable. Love is the purpose of life, not being childish enough to start crying at bags. Rent "Life in the Undergrowth" and see life's true design. It's full of slime, death, and predators, right along with dancing, colors and procreation.

[mateohaggis]

You make a very valid statement. But consider the settings - the movie takes place in suburbia with the characters accumulating superficiality to deny reality.

Slime, death, and predators are a part of life but you can't honestly expect a movie to encompass that all. When watching "life in the undergrowth" someone may have thoughts about that not mimicking reality as they see it.

It's about perspective, relativity and commonality in stories - not a pissing contest over genres.

[gregingram1970]

...the bag dont have a facade coz it is a bag. we act out a role that is shaped by our government and it is a hierarchy of horror implanted in our brains via our media. the bag dont have a hierarchy and it has its own energy. can we find our own energy? our life behind things other than new cars, new shoes, new fences, new holidays, - anything other than living to be a proud consumer.

[gregingram1970]

ricky fitz is telling the viewer what it is he finds interesting about a bag. it has a life beneath it. life, in suburban america and the suburban west also has a life behind it. a life behind the facade of the illusion of success. AB aims to highlight the flaws of the facade of the ideal class in our western middle class society and this scene is illustrating that all of us have a life beneath our facade or the drama we all take part in from day to day in our own streets - just like the bag has

[jepa33]

best scene from the movie without a doubt

[mmmmmmmmmGARY]

aww dude no! second best i would say

what about the roses of the ceilin scene?

spec-tat-ular

[dantastic93]

i like the last scene when KS is basically summing up the movie. kevin spacey has a much better narrational voice than even morgan freeman. that's debatable, but its my opinion. he's so amazing.

anyone who agrees should try to rent the movie "Beyond the Sea". kevin spacey writing, directing, producing, and starring in a film about the life of Bobby Darin.

its simply amazing.

[MarioBrosClassic]

sure buddy...the music made you way more affectational then you probably were

[wywhpf]

ah men when i first saw this scene i was like trying to capture something like that for a few days-unsuccessful :D...it's just beautiful

[mpouz0uksis]

It's an absolutely fantastic film. aside from the main meaning, which is that beauty can be hidden everywhere, even somewhere unexpected, as well as ugliness can be hidden behind something phenomenically beautiful, also shows what the mediocore pathetic american ended up being nowdays..

[kandeesnatcha]

If you dont understand it, that doesnt make it not meaningful to others.

For me, it was shocking to see what I thought no one else understood, outside of literature, in film.

[ImSoJohnDeleted]

what's to understand?

it's open to interpretation

[campbellvstherock]

how can anybody say this scene isn't amzing cos it's one of the best in the movie

[captainkill1]

all I have to say is thora birch is hot and needs a cock.

[teak43]

Man, the pretentiousness of this scene is embarrassing.

[MrMackeyMmmkay]

American Beauty is one of my favorite films, but you're right, it is extremely pretentious, and this scene is the worst in the film. This isn't "real" like the rest of the film.

[ramdillian]

This scene is the entire point of the movie. This scene connects the movie to transcendentialism, which was about Beauty (with a capital B) being so powerful that if you really glipsed it momentarily, you could not take it all at once. It's looking for the transcendent behind the ordinary world. The unseen air moving the bag in a dance represents the eternal invisible forces behind the universe: Beauty and Truth.

If you didn't like this scene, you completely misunderstood the entire movie.

[Leuloz]

Wow

[carpathiandragon]

Thank you, that was a beautiful explanation, it needed to be said.

[gajwa]

OMG!

American beauty is a autoironic movie. It shows how pathetic americans can be. And it's all about in this scene.

I mean c'mon. A guy smokes a lot of stuff and cry when he see a plastic bag?? :)

You all Guys r to serious. Where is the distance?

I think that your words fits more to very last scene.

You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry. You will someday.

;)

[AnarchyIncProduction]

You aren't too terribly bright, are you?

[gajwa]

yes. yes u can pretend that u understand the movie.

You are another american pseudo intellectual, don't you?

LOL!

[AnarchyIncProduction]

How cute!

You're trying to lure me into an internet fight.

I should remind you though that internet fights are like the special olympics..... Even if you win, you're still retarded.

So you win :D

[gekiryudojo]

good comment! AnarchyIncproduction

[AnarchyIncProduction]

Thank you, thank you :D

[xseli]

beauty is what tugs your heartstrings, and this scene does that. even if it's a plastic bag

[gregingram1970]

@ramdillian hi...I thought the plastic bag symbolised that even in our rubbish, from a consumerist perspective, that he sees beauty in it - perhaps being the life behind things and not just junk? So, ironically, ricky fitts spots something beautiful in what most people would conventionally disregard as rubbish. His high powered percptions of the world are illuminated as he uses the video camera all the time so he can focus on the life beneath things. Rickys the moral voice of society.

[PibedeOro28]

men you dont understand that movie. maybe you shoul relax and try to see the beauty

[llamatube]

I think you people are so shallow it takes someone to tell you something is a deep piece of art for you to perceive it as such. This scene and movie effectively destroys the same thing it's trying to portray by being, as teak said, pretentious. It would be no different if it were a bloody tampon floating around.

[XSirApocalypseX]

Many people say; it's only a stupid plastic bag, but this should make a sample, metaphoric it's without sin and pain, free flying trough the air don't lookin' where it goes...

[gerychiakezumi]

heart is crumbling? blackheart has no heart! lol he fits better in demon roles

[highwind8124]

Family Guy did a pretty good rebuttal to this.

[wukurac]

I feel the same everytime i do acid.

[bbcbabe95]

i love this scene , they did a spoof of it on family guy and it was realli funni!

[goodolpaul94]

i agree

[AshtrayPolitics]

ITS A GROCEREY BAG IN AN UPDRAFT!!

[farleyriver]

you're missing the point

[AshtrayPolitics]

good

[milnusthegnome]

this is what psychopaths have to do to get what they want, in this case, jane.

[serjycalstryke]

the movie is great, but this scene is really shit.i don't get the bag, is plastic and represents pollution and waste, why not just leave the leaves in the wind....

[coralin378]

you just totally missed the point of the scene. congrats.

[transcendedinfinity]

Because the whole point is that, regadless of good or bad...life is precious, beautiful in every sense...such is the duality of nature, it would be far too cliched to have wind blowing leaves, besides the bag could be viewed as symbolic of man....of which without, such beauty would remain unviewed.Possibley the greatest purpose for the evolution of the cosmos and life was the rise of a self aware conscious being who could view the the universe in all its splendour...i certainly am awe stricken!

[DynamicImpulse]

wow. i know this comment is late, but your description of the scene is bang on.

[Xn0n4m3x08]

spiritual scene

[milnusthegnome]

as my brother laughed when the plastic bag was moving. but such a simple thing is beeautiful which makes it beautiful to watch.

[ChetProductions]

whats the name of the song?

[closecombat3]

any other name

[VFDsugarbowl]

It's written by Thomas Newman

[jayne1245]

like someone already said, his eyes are so intense and stunning...it really adds to the powerfullness and beauty of the scene...

[danregan4]

Family Guy Piss Take is da best.

[ckad79]

This is the one scene in this film that the moment I watched it, I was like WOW, I'm seeing something amazing... It's just fascinating to put so much perspective about life into something so simple.

[Geo2005]

fuckin a

[IAmTheManda]

I always crack up at that scene for some reason. What he says is nice but its funny cuz its a bag so I cant take it seriously lol

[WiiMan182]

u know family guy also made fun of this scene

[AlbanianMan]

I LOVE Family Guy, and yeah you're right they did, they always point out everything lol. I also have to point out that it's retarded that someone gave me a thumbs down. I guess even though I was nice, if I dont agree with everyone else I get a thumbs down. *Le Sigh*

[IAmTheManda]

Oops that was my brothers user name sorry.

[DrNGin]

you're horrible fix it it's off

[CheddarWalrus]

I really love this scene.

The bag is a good metaphor for the re-occuring themes in the movie.

[TECHXHEAD]

His eyes are so intense.

[PeekabooLBL]

IT'S JUST A TRASH BAG! DO YOU KNOW HOW COMPLICATED YOUR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM IS? lol

[iamdegenatron]

family guy sucks

[sonofplunder69]

you piece of shit!!! maybe that bag should wrap around your face and then see how fuckin funny it is!!!

[wodo26]

lol

[BlazingDrumz]

Yes, I do realize that the audio is a bit off of the video, so no comments about "fix it, it's off, you're horrible."