Several memorable personalities come together in American Beauty. The story of Lester Burnham and those intertwined in his life bring up interesting themes and ideas thanks to their actions. Their sometimes surprising behaviors help make American Beauty one of Sam Mendes' highest-rated movies.
However, some characters are smarter than others. Personalities like Ricky Fitts and Angela Hayes present their wits in the actions they take throughout the movie. Some present critical thinking and reasoning. Others prove to have their minds clouded by emotions and self-serving instincts.
Col. Frank Fitts
Chris Cooper plays Frank in one of his highest-rated roles. He is one of the main antagonists in the film. He proves to be emotionally unintelligent several times throughout the movie. He acts before thinking, shown in his violent attacks and outbursts on his son Ricky.
Furthermore, Franks shows a lack of critical thinking. After he suspects Ricky and Lester have a romantic relationship, he doesn't investigate it further and takes his suspicion for a fact. His final act of murder presents a lack of foresight and action taking without reasoning.
Buddy Kane
Buddy is a real estate agent who is in competition with Carolyn Burnham. He is played by Peter Gallagher. He is one of the least developed main characters in American Beauty. As such, his intelligence is harder to size up than some of his peers.
Buddy presents an air of wisdom from certain statements, like "in order to be successful, one must project an image of success at all times." However, he proves to lack foresight in his affair with Carolyn. He is reckless, going out with her in public. When he is caught, he realizes his foolish behavior.
Lester Burnham
Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, and most fans would consider him the main protagonist in American Beauty. He shows his smarts in his actions. He shows his manipulation skills in his employment. He comes up with a plan to extort money from his corporate job and quit. He gets his job at Mr. Smiley's by pointing out his (years old) experience. However, he often shows his lack of emotional intelligence.
Lester's emotions cloud his reasoning. He doesn't think of how his pursuit of Angela will affect his daughter Jane. He makes little attempt to hide his relationship with Ricky from his father Frank when he buys drugs from him, despite their inappropriate age gap. Frank's growing suspicion due to Lester's lack of foresight is ultimately his downfall.
Angela Hayes
Angela is played by Mena Suvari. She is Jane's friend and the object of Lester's lustful desires. She shows her emotional intelligence and logic by picking up on Lester's attraction to her. She displays her critical thinking when she tells Jane she has a shot at being a model after knowing the boys at school want to sleep with her.
She also picks up on Jane's attraction to Ricky Fitts when she defends him against Angela's criticisms. However, she shows her lack of emotional intelligence in her relationship with Jane. Jealousy of her and Ricky's happiness clouds Angela's reasoning when she lashes out at them.
Carolyn Burnham
Annette Bening plays Carolyn, Lester's wife, and Jane's mother. She is an emotional character. One of her most memorable scenes is when Carolyn breaks down after failing to sell a house. Bening shot the scene in one take in one of American Beauty's behind-the-scenes facts.
The sequence underscores Carolyn's lack of emotional intelligence. However, her smarts are shown in her meticulous behavior. She is driven for success and uses critical thinking to realize the actions that might help achieve that goal. She takes care of all facets of her life with attention to detail. This behavior is showcased in several activities, from her rose gardening to her various self-affirming mantras.
Jane Burnham
Thora Birch's Jane is Lester and Carolyn's daughter, and Ricky's neighbor and romantic interest. She shows her smarts in her relationships. Her attention to detail is on display when she picks up on both Lester and Angela's flirtation with each other.
Jane shows her intellectual curiosity in her questions for Ricky. She wants to know more about him, underscoring her desire for more knowledge. She sees through Angela when she tries to dis way her from leaving to New York with Ricky, asking her why she even cares. She can see there isn't an altruistic reason for her protest.
Ricky Fitts
Ricky is Frank's son and Jane's romantic interest. He is played by Wes Bentley in one of his highest-rated roles. His mind is perhaps best on display during the iconic "bag" scene. He appears to see things others can't, appreciating the banality of garbage floating as a moment of beauty.
Furthermore, Ricky is calculated. He uses reasoning to come up with a plan to prevent his dad from discovering his drug habit by faking his urine tests. He shows foresight in saving money for the future. He shows his intellectual curiosity in his questions in pursuing Jane. He critically unpacks Angela and Jane's toxic relationship, telling her Angela keeps Jane around only to feel better about herself.