One of the most understated, yet powerful performances. Because of the nature of this character, she was overshadowed by the other characters and the powerful actors who portrayed them. Yet when you watch this movie over and over again, you realize how deeply profound of a job Allison did with this role. She is such an awesome actor.
Allison is the perfect example in acting of “less can be more”. It’s not more is more. She says so little but her acting is immense. Powerful. Just from her eyes. Her slight movements. I love this kind of great acting. It’s less IS more. Not many words of dialogue. It’s just their presence. That can speak many words anyway.
It's like Viola Davis in Antwone Fisher. She says so much without saying anything, in the scene where Antwone finally found and confronted her. Also reminds me of Robert Duvall as Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, just acting with his eyes and body language to create a great amount of sentiment
When she says "I apologize for the way things look around here," I always interpreted it as her apologizing for how cold, dead, and depressing the house looked and felt. The house was immaculate, so there is no way she meant messy.
No, she really meant messy. This is a woman who lived through decades of abuse by a violent, controlling husband who treated her like one of his subordinates from the army. Anything out of place in that house and she would suffer for it. They caught her zoned out, she 'wakes up' realizing there is a guest and she didn't prepare for this by cleaning so her first reaction is to apologize for it. She is not well mentally, likely suffering a dissociative disorder brought on by trauma.
Before she achieved won the role of a life time on The West Wing (and played C.J. so brilliantly it was awe-inspiring), she was one of those actors that just totally stood out in every role, no matter how small. I saw this movie in the theatre, and despite Janney's relatively small part, she really stood out for me. She's what I'd call an absolute scene stealer; just a phenomenally gifted talent. What a joy she is to watch.
Here is a woman (wonderful and loving wife who just wants to please) who is scared and controlled beyond. Her husband controls the entire house (doorbell rings and he gives a look like “what the hell?!?”) and instills fear. Ricki is aware and just lets him be and is cautious at all times. Doesn’t want to “rock the boat”. Ricki’s Mom isn’t allowed to be herself and enjoy her home. One little thing out of place, she’ll have to deal with her husband. He controls her every move. Great movie, flawless cast!
I dont know how to explain this. But if you are a child of a police or a soldier, you would understand this. Being a cop/soldier is so toxic, you can't leave it outside. you bring it home, you bring that toxicity to family. And it corrupts. It corrupts your mind, it corrupts your mothers mind. Then that corruption creates this illness. A illness something like alzheimer, confusion. Just like in this movie. An irreversible damage to your mother. 30 years with that man worse than a tumor. I am not a doctor but i am a cops son and i can tell you this: She is not alzheimer, she has a terrible husband.
Allison Janney really is an underrated actress. Her versatility is top notch. She was the high energy Guidance Counsellor in 10 Things I Hate About You, which came out the exact dame year as American Beauty. I remember pointing this out to my mom and she was blown away because of the differences in the characters.
This world can honestly fuck people up. We are not allowed to live free and happy we have to conform to a system that stifles us as human beings. That’s why depression and anxiety are so high. Even though this movie is nearly 20 years old it’s incredibly relevant.
Thomas Newman's music composition is so emotionally appropriate in this film it's sadly blasphemous he was nominated but never won an Oscar for Best Score in American Beauty. What a tragedy !!!
During the scene Colonel Fitts was intensely watching the old army tv show, I always assumed he was sexually aroused. Then when his son Ricky comes in to sit with them Fitts gets uncomfortable almost like he's been caught.
I can't figure out exactly what conditions were affecting her to be this way. Definitely depressed and possibly onset of Alzheimers. She is never included in any character reviews I've seen.
Nothing close to Alzheimer's.... She's just been beat down psychologically every hour of every day she's in her husband's presence to where there's nothing left. Military wives and, to a lesser extent, law enforcement wives can attest to what she has become...
@@ADDrecords nah as the poster up top said she's psychologically been broken and beaten down. I'd say she shows signs of battered woman syndrome manifesting as PTSD more than Alzheimer's. The way she maintains the house with not a thing out of place is probably due to her husbands military standards doesn't really take anything in including what her own son likes to eat for breakfast and she's basically shut down emotionally so she can cope with the day to day things in her life to such an extent that she ignores the fact her son has also been abused by his father and still is. No wonder she's shut down emotionally she must be feeling so despressed and traumatised at what she's been through and having to see her son go through shit that she's blocked it out because the guilt of doing nothing to protect him must be heavily weighing her down as well and thats not easy to live with
@dancerGirl3653 I didn't realize it was her until about 5 minutes ago. She DOES look completely different. I wonder how much of her gauntness in this film is due to makeup and how much is due to her actually gettig physically skinny.
In reality, Chris Cooper is ironically more caring dad and still loyal to his wife to this day. In this movie, the mom went through the depression and catatonic. In reality, both dad (Chris) and mom (Marianne) must have went through depression like Barbara here after they lost their one and only child (Jesse) but still together, no matter what happened to them:(((
Wait.. what the..? That Allison Janney ?! Never knew that. I thought that was his wife playing that role !! Allison really looks like Chris Cooper's actual wife (Marianne Leone) here!
She's hallucinating from the trauma of being in a relationship with a self hating, racist, gay, abusive military spouse. It's tragic to see how far a person's mind will go
But then, also, maybe Ricky recognizes that the poor woman hasn't had an ounce of tenderness in twenty years, so deliberately lingers. In an effort to let her know that it can be nice.
@@chrisdorsett3148they've been saying it since the countries founding. U can find newspapers from the 1700s and 1800s with those exact words as the headline lol.
She seemed shell shocked, due to his controlling/abusive ways. You can also tell she and her husband had zero intimacy or love (due to him being a closeted gay and total head case). So she was unloved, and probably verbally abused by a very controlling, unhappy, volatile and violent man. There was no happiness in that house. All of them were like ships passing in the night, even when they were sitting "together." All in their own separate worlds. She obviously felt powerless to leave and just resigned herself to the situation, and mentally checked out long ago. No mental or emotional strength left in her.
One of the most understated, yet powerful performances. Because of the nature of this character, she was overshadowed by the other characters and the powerful actors who portrayed them. Yet when you watch this movie over and over again, you realize how deeply profound of a job Allison did with this role. She is such an awesome actor.
Exactly!!
That last scene breaks my heart every time. What a beautifully nuanced, heart-wrenching performance by the amazing Allison Janney.
Never did I ever think that "wear a raincoat" would make me tear up.
It really is. Where a raincoat. It's almost tho she wanted "take me with you"
She is such an underrated actress. I love her.
Allison is the perfect example in acting of “less can be more”. It’s not more is more. She says so little but her acting is immense. Powerful. Just from her eyes. Her slight movements. I love this kind of great acting. It’s less IS more. Not many words of dialogue. It’s just their presence. That can speak many words anyway.
It's like Viola Davis in Antwone Fisher. She says so much without saying anything, in the scene where Antwone finally found and confronted her. Also reminds me of Robert Duvall as Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird, just acting with his eyes and body language to create a great amount of sentiment
When she says "I apologize for the way things look around here," I always interpreted it as her apologizing for how cold, dead, and depressing the house looked and felt. The house was immaculate, so there is no way she meant messy.
Live with that man. She means the "mess"
No, she really meant messy. This is a woman who lived through decades of abuse by a violent, controlling husband who treated her like one of his subordinates from the army. Anything out of place in that house and she would suffer for it. They caught her zoned out, she 'wakes up' realizing there is a guest and she didn't prepare for this by cleaning so her first reaction is to apologize for it. She is not well mentally, likely suffering a dissociative disorder brought on by trauma.
A single episode of the show "Mom" most easily illustrates what a dynamic actress she is. Not knocking her other work.
Before she achieved won the role of a life time on The West Wing (and played C.J. so brilliantly it was awe-inspiring), she was one of those actors that just totally stood out in every role, no matter how small. I saw this movie in the theatre, and despite Janney's relatively small part, she really stood out for me. She's what I'd call an absolute scene stealer; just a phenomenally gifted talent. What a joy she is to watch.
Here is a woman (wonderful and loving wife who just wants to please) who is scared and controlled beyond. Her husband controls the entire house (doorbell rings and he gives a look like “what the hell?!?”) and instills fear. Ricki is aware and just lets him be and is cautious at all times. Doesn’t want to “rock the boat”. Ricki’s Mom isn’t allowed to be herself and enjoy her home. One little thing out of place, she’ll have to deal with her husband. He controls her every move. Great movie, flawless cast!
I dont know how to explain this. But if you are a child of a police or a soldier, you would understand this. Being a cop/soldier is so toxic, you can't leave it outside. you bring it home, you bring that toxicity to family. And it corrupts. It corrupts your mind, it corrupts your mothers mind. Then that corruption creates this illness. A illness something like alzheimer, confusion. Just like in this movie. An
irreversible damage to your mother. 30 years with that man worse than a tumor. I am not a doctor but i am a cops son and i can tell you this: She is not alzheimer, she has a terrible husband.
Every time she was on the screen, i saw my own confused, nervous mother. Well played, well written.
Soooooooooo strict !
Ricky's mom really live in a most depressing situation. Feels bad...
Allison Janney really is an underrated actress. Her versatility is top notch. She was the high energy Guidance Counsellor in 10 Things I Hate About You, which came out the exact dame year as American Beauty. I remember pointing this out to my mom and she was blown away because of the differences in the characters.
Chris Cooper as frank should've won an award.
Incidentally she is the most famous actor from this now!
Nah, Kevin Spacey & Annette Bennings are still big names in Hollywood
@@donnavan8318 Spacey is only big at this point because of his controversy rather than being an actor.
@@TheListenerCanon Awesome actor.
God what a beautiful scene. Families like this do exist.
This world can honestly fuck people up. We are not allowed to live free and happy we have to conform to a system that stifles us as human beings. That’s why depression and anxiety are so high. Even though this movie is nearly 20 years old it’s incredibly relevant.
Thomas Newman's music composition is so emotionally appropriate in this film it's sadly blasphemous he was nominated but never won an Oscar for Best Score in American Beauty. What a tragedy !!!
"Wear a raincoat" :'(
Allison Janney: always the best thing in the thing she's in.
This character has a movie all of her own which would be worth seeing.
Allison can’t not be great!
Once you know she played both parts, it's hard to reconcile this character with the wicked monster she played in "I, Tonya."
Bye Mom, take care of Dad.
When your husband has the hots for Kevin Spacey...
Last scene is unspeakably sad.
American Beauty (1999) Allison Janney as Barbara Fitts (Ricky's mother) (Support Role)
During the scene Colonel Fitts was intensely watching the old army tv show, I always assumed he was sexually aroused. Then when his son Ricky comes in to sit with them Fitts gets uncomfortable almost like he's been caught.
I can't believe this is the same woman who played Loretta in Drop Dead Gorgeous, the same year!!! LOVE Allison Janney.
She's brilliant in The Girl on the Train now
This mоoovie is now aaavaaailable to waaatch here => twitter.com/983cae6c164fac090/status/795841868491653120 Allison Jaaaanney in American Beaaaauty
2:51 Kids, that a pager. You don't see those things anymore.
I can't figure out exactly what conditions were affecting her to be this way. Definitely depressed and possibly onset of Alzheimers. She is never included in any character reviews I've seen.
Nothing close to Alzheimer's.... She's just been beat down psychologically every hour of every day she's in her husband's presence to where there's nothing left.
Military wives and, to a lesser extent, law enforcement wives can attest to what she has become...
@@ADDrecords nah as the poster up top said she's psychologically been broken and beaten down. I'd say she shows signs of battered woman syndrome manifesting as PTSD more than Alzheimer's. The way she maintains the house with not a thing out of place is probably due to her husbands military standards doesn't really take anything in including what her own son likes to eat for breakfast and she's basically shut down emotionally so she can cope with the day to day things in her life to such an extent that she ignores the fact her son has also been abused by his father and still is. No wonder she's shut down emotionally she must be feeling so despressed and traumatised at what she's been through and having to see her son go through shit that she's blocked it out because the guilt of doing nothing to protect him must be heavily weighing her down as well and thats not easy to live with
she is amazing
@dancerGirl3653 I didn't realize it was her until about 5 minutes ago. She DOES look completely different. I wonder how much of her gauntness in this film is due to makeup and how much is due to her actually gettig physically skinny.
She was only 39 in this movie. She looked way older...
Wow. You're right
"I apologize for the way things look around here".
Everybody is sick and insane in that movie.
Thats what society make us
Poor Barbara. Frank's such a horrible man. He ignores and neglects her and he abuses their son Ricky.
Those who haven't watched the whole movie, should not be trying to interpret the movie or the characters based on the clips.
In reality, Chris Cooper is ironically more caring dad and still loyal to his wife to this day. In this movie, the mom went through the depression and catatonic. In reality, both dad (Chris) and mom (Marianne) must have went through depression like Barbara here after they lost their one and only child (Jesse) but still together, no matter what happened to them:(((
Nobody:
AJ: I'm sorry, what?
Wait.. what the..? That Allison Janney ?! Never knew that. I thought that was his wife playing that role !! Allison really looks like Chris Cooper's actual wife (Marianne Leone) here!
"This country is going straight to Hell" certainly radiates true today in 2021....
I didn't recognize she was the guidance councellor in 10 things i hate about u..
1:41 It looks like Wes Anderson but just don't fell like it. Just feel so sad.
She's hallucinating from the trauma of being in a relationship with a self hating, racist, gay, abusive military spouse. It's tragic to see how far a person's mind will go
That was one longass kiss on the cheek.
It did feel long, didn't it? I wonder if he whispered something in her ear?
But then, also, maybe Ricky recognizes that the poor woman hasn't had an ounce of tenderness in twenty years, so deliberately lingers. In an effort to let her know that it can be nice.
This is what happens when you get fired from the White House!
The end of the viper...sms
What a loveless household…
Crazy how relevant what the dad says still is...
@Francis Serra that was not the point of the movie smh
People have said that for the the last 50-60 years
@@chrisdorsett3148they've been saying it since the countries founding. U can find newspapers from the 1700s and 1800s with those exact words as the headline lol.
My dad and step mom are this couple dad lived on a ranch and step mom was raised with military dad and they are so dry
Is it me or does the mom seem like she night be depressed?
I don't understand this character. Was she brain damaged because her husband beat her? I dont get it.
She seemed shell shocked, due to his controlling/abusive ways. You can also tell she and her husband had zero intimacy or love (due to him being a closeted gay and total head case). So she was unloved, and probably verbally abused by a very controlling, unhappy, volatile and violent man. There was no happiness in that house. All of them were like ships passing in the night, even when they were sitting "together." All in their own separate worlds. She obviously felt powerless to leave and just resigned herself to the situation, and mentally checked out long ago. No mental or emotional strength left in her.
What the hell was wrong with her?
Nice-oscar It's called depression.
She was married to a controlling guy that was secretly gay.
@@timl5270 ...Way more than depression... This woman's almost catatonic.
Also years of extreme boredom and lack of affection
American Beauty is just another Hollywood Propaganda movie.
This country is going straight to hell....😂 I love this movie