 With other turn @-@ of @-@ the @-@ millennium films such as Fight Club , In the Company of Men ( 1997 ) , American Psycho ( 2000 ) , and Boys Don 't Cry ( 1999 ) , American Beauty " raises the broader , widely explored issue of masculinity in crisis " . Professor Vincent Hausmann charges that in their reinforcement of masculinity " against threats posed by war , by consumerism , and by feminist and queer challenges " , these films present a need to " focus on , and even to privilege " aspects of maleness " deemed ' deviant ' " . Lester 's transformation conveys " that he , and not the woman , has borne the brunt of [ lack of being ] " and he will not stand for being emasculated . Lester 's attempts to " strengthen traditional masculinity " conflict with his responsibilities as a father . Although the film portrays the way Lester returns to that role positively , he does not become " the hypermasculine figure implicitly celebrated in films like Fight Club " . Hausmann concludes that Lester 's behavior toward Angela is " a misguided but nearly necessary step toward his becoming a father again " . 
 With other turn @-@ of @-@ the @-@ millennium films such as Fight Club , In the Company of Men ( 1997 ) , American Psycho ( 2000 ) , and Boys Don 't Cry ( 1999 ) , American Beauty " <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>raises</mark></a> the broader , widely explored issue of masculinity in crisis " . Professor Vincent Hausmann <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>charges</mark></a> that in their reinforcement of masculinity " against threats posed by war , by consumerism , and by feminist and queer challenges " , these films present a need to " focus on , and even to privilege " aspects of maleness " deemed ' deviant ' " . Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>transformation <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>conveys</mark></a> " that he , and not the woman , <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>has</mark></a> borne the brunt of [ lack of being ] " and he will not stand for being emasculated . Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>attempts to " strengthen traditional masculinity " conflict with his responsibilities as a father . Although the film <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>portrays</mark></a> the way Lester <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>returns</mark></a> to that role positively , he <a href='uninflect' title='9'><mark>does</mark></a> not become " the hypermasculine figure implicitly celebrated in films like Fight Club " . Hausmann <a href='uninflect' title='10'><mark>concludes</mark></a> that Lester <a href='null_genetive' title='11'><mark>'s</mark></a>behavior toward Angela is " a misguided but nearly necessary step toward his becoming a father again " . 
With other turn @-@ of @-@ the @-@ millennium films such as Fight Club , In da Company of Men ( 1997 ) , American gangsta ( 2000 ) , and boyz Don 't Cry ( 1999 ) , American Beauty " raise the broader , widely explored issue of masculinity in crisis " . Professor Vincent Hausmann charge dat in their reinforcement of masculinity " against threats posed by war , by consumerism , and by feminist and queer challenges " , these films present a gotta " focus on , and even to privilege " aspects of maleness " deemed ' deviant ' " . Lester  transformation convey " tdathe , and not tdawoman , done borne the brunt of [ lack of being ] " and he gon not stand fir being emasculated . Lester  attempts to " strengthen traditional masculinity " conflict with his responsibilities as a father . Although thdailm portray theday Lester return to that role positively , he do not become " the hypermasculine figure implicitly celebrated in films like Fight Club " . Hausmann conclude that Lester  behavior toward Angela is " a misguided but nearly necessary step toward his becoming a father again " .