Today's family structure bears little reflection upon its former counterparts of decades ago. No longer are family values placed before personal desires, inasmuch as contemporary families are often splintered due to each member's quest to achieve for him or herself. Striving for one's individual aspirations over and above the health of the family as a whole is what Sam Mendes' American Beauty clearly depicts, as it strives to portray man's unquenchable need to fulfill his own wants and needs, ultimately shaping modern dysfunctional culture.
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