With all the laughing going on in J. Normand Martin Jr.’s letter (BDN, Feb. 4) about “American Beauty” being a real stinker of a film, we couldn’t help laughing ourselves at his own opinion. It’s apparent he missed the film’s point, which was to expose a middle-class, suburban American family in crisis. To do so, the film threw in everything Martin mentioned: drugs, sex with minors, peeping Toms, homosexuality in the military. It also underscored the desperation of its characters, not to mention their humanity.

Perhaps in Martin’s world, these sorts of things don’t happen and should never be explored on film. That’s the other side of Martin’s cultural war he never mentions; those who can’t handle the truth and will fight to keep it from others who are interested in seeing or hearing it.

Christopher Smith recognized the film’s merit; so did Portland’s Marty Meltz and the Golden Globes. Good for them. But to those like Martin, we offer this: Open a paper, pay attention to the news, read magazines, get your hands on all the books you can. If you think this sort of behavior isn’t happening in America, and that it shouldn’t be taken seriously on film, then your reality is sadly unreal. John Libby Waterville