American Beauty
Sam Mendes' comedy-drama feature debut, winner of 5 Academy Awards including Best Actor (Kevin Spacey), Best Director and Best Film. Provoked by forbidden passions, middle-aged office drone Lester Burnham (Spacey) decides to make a few changes in his rut of a life, changes that are less midlife crisis than adolescence reborn. The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife, Carolyn (Anette Bening), and daughter Jane (Thora Birch) - especially when he turns his lustful gaze toward Jane's friend, the sultry Angela (Mena Suvari).
- Director:
- Sam Mendes (feature debut)
- Writer:
- Alan Ball
- Cast:
- Kevin SpaceyAnnette BeningThora BirchWes BentleyMena SuvariChris CooperPeter GallagherScott Bakula
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressA script as fresh and distinctive as any produced in the States in recent memory.
The New York Times
pressIf you don't share the film's piercing vision of what really matters, someday you will.
Rolling Stone
pressA triumph of acting, writing and directing that defies glib description...the kind of artful defiance that Hollywood is usually too timid to deliver: a jolting comedy that makes you laugh till it hurts.
Roger Ebert
pressSpacey, an actor who embodies intelligence in his eyes and voice, is the right choice for Lester Burnham.
Los Angeles Times
pressA blood-chilling dark comedy with unexpected moments of both fury and warmth, a strange, brooding and very accomplished film that sets us back on our heels from its opening frames.
Empire Magazine
pressAn incisive, deliriously funny and profound vision of the American Dream hitting meltdown.
Variety
pressA script as fresh and distinctive as any produced in the States in recent memory.
The New York Times
pressIf you don't share the film's piercing vision of what really matters, someday you will.
Rolling Stone
pressA triumph of acting, writing and directing that defies glib description...the kind of artful defiance that Hollywood is usually too timid to deliver: a jolting comedy that makes you laugh till it hurts.
Roger Ebert
pressSpacey, an actor who embodies intelligence in his eyes and voice, is the right choice for Lester Burnham.
Los Angeles Times
pressA blood-chilling dark comedy with unexpected moments of both fury and warmth, a strange, brooding and very accomplished film that sets us back on our heels from its opening frames.
Empire Magazine
pressAn incisive, deliriously funny and profound vision of the American Dream hitting meltdown.
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