American Beauty (1999)

88% of critics liked it
(152 reviews)
90% of users liked it
(572,226 ratings)

Noted theater director Sam Mendes, who was responsible for the acclaimed 1998 revival of Cabaret and Nicole Kidman's turn in The Blue Room, made his motion picture debut with this film about the dark side of an American family, and about the nature and price of beauty in a culture obsessed with… More Noted theater director Sam Mendes, who was responsible for the acclaimed 1998 revival of Cabaret and Nicole Kidman's turn in The Blue Room, made his motion picture debut with this film about the dark side of an American family, and about the nature and price of beauty in a culture obsessed with outward appearances. Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis; he's grown cynical and is convinced that he has no reason to go on. Lester's relationship with his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is not a warm one; while on the surface Carolyn strives to present the image that she's in full control of her life, inside she feels empty and desperate. Their teenage daughter Jane (Thora Birch) is constantly depressed, lacking in self-esteem, and convinced that she's unattractive. Her problems aren't helped by her best friend Angela (Mena Suvari), an aspiring model who is quite beautiful and believes that that alone makes her a worthwhile person. Jane isn't the only one who has noticed that Angela is attractive: Lester has fallen into uncontrollable lust for her, and she becomes part of his drastic plan to change his body and change his life. Meanwhile, next door, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper) has spent a lifetime in the Marine Corps and can understand and tolerate no other way of life, which makes life difficult for his son Ricky (Wes Bentley), an aspiring filmmaker and part-time drug dealer who is obsessed with beauty, wherever and whatever it may be. American Beauty was also the screen debut for screenwriter Alan Ball. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 2 hr.
Directed By: Sam Mendes
Written By: Alan Ball
Genres: Drama, Comedy

In Theaters: Oct 1, 1999 Wide
On DVD: Jan 2, 2002
Studio: Dream Works

Critic Reviews

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
As the latest mainstream movie symptom of our premillennial malaise, American Beauty is so brilliantly acted, written, directed and visualized that for all its despondency and despair, it is a lot of fun.
Edward Guthmann, San Francisco Chronicle
A great, tremendously entertaining experience. I only wish there were more films this satisfying.
Rick Groen, Globe and Mail
This is definitely a knife-to-the-heart movie -- the kind whose potent effect is easy to feel yet hard to describe.
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
The kind of artful defiance that Hollywood is usually too timid to deliver: a jolting comedy that makes you laugh till it hurts.
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
Mendes can stake a claim alongside the likes of Kubrick and Egoyan as one whose cinematic vision both challenges and entertains.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
Superlatively well-made.
Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy
Cripplingly broad, with network-sitcom beats dressed in R-rated threads... [endorses] a particularly adolescent male point of view.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Powerful acting, great story, but far too mature for kids.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Among other special features of the Blu-ray DVD version, Sam Mendes' commentary is truly intelligent and illuminating.
Radheyan Simonpillai, AskMen.com
The flaws that exist in American Beauty are effortlessly overcome by a cast that blossoms. Spacey in particular exhibits a rare wit and gravitas with Lester's weary frowns and cutting smirks, proving his mettle in this career peak performance.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
It's daring in that it sympathizes with a protagonist who's a pederast though its portrait of an American family on the brink of collapse is essentially a cartoon
, Film4
One of the most startling, brilliant pictures to come out of a major studio in many years.
Rob Gonsalves, eFilmCritic.com
An elusive and allusive work of art that won't be pinned down easily.
Joe Lozito, Big Picture Big Sound
Recently, Happiness and Election have taken pot shots at suburban morals and ethics, but none has hit so close to the bone and so on-target as American Beauty.
Walter Chaw, Film Freak Central
It's like Norman Bates getting good advice from Mother.
Wesley Lovell, Oscar Guy
An incisive if over-the-top take on familial dysfunction.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Above all, "American Beauty" is about finding peace and a sense of wonder in the least likely of places, such as your inner torment or, failing that, perhaps a floating plastic bag.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
Brit Sam Mendes makes an impressive directorial debut with a glossy, well-acted satire of the American burbs, a theatrically stylized meditation that combines the zeitgeist of 1950s Eisnehower with that of 1990s Clinton.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Dark, intelligent, scandalous, emotional, and truthful -- one of the year's best.
Geoff Andrew, Time Out
Director Mendes guides an artful path between desire and self-disgust, playing youth against experience, male against female.

Read all 24 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

Daniel P

Glad I re-watched this. The last time was the year that it came out, and I was 17. This time around, it reminded me of Garden State - a very adolescent film. Mendes has since gotten better - of course he eventually did Revolutionary Road, it all makes sense! - but this one is a little… More
Glad I re-watched this. The last time was the year that it came out, and I was 17. This time around, it reminded me of Garden State - a very adolescent film. Mendes has since gotten better - of course he eventually did Revolutionary Road, it all makes sense! - but this one is a little (a lot) on the precious side, appealing almost more for the angsty teenager storyline than for the midlife crisis that got Spacey his Oscar. The film's not without its insights, but the characters are so manichean and stiff in their purpsoses that overall, they aren't all that human. It's the point, to an extent - that all the life has been sucked out of these suburbanites - but the film plods along rather flatly. It's a film about being self-centred consumers, but it lays its point so bare that it often shakes you out of the illusion. A good early film from a decent director, but not one that stands the test of time.
Sam r

American Beauty is close to a pure masterpiece. Superb acting from Kevin Spacey and Annette Brening. Along with a unique soundtrack and fantastic story, this is one of the most original and beautiful films ever made!
Jan Marc M

Rich in metaphor, messages, and philosophy, American Beauty put simply is a hundred percent subliminal beauty.
Idrees K

I find it treacherous to sit and analyze what makes this a good film and attempt to reduce it to a mere list of pros and cons. So instead, I will simply admire the beauty of it, and I hope that you can too.
Sam B

Haunting and perfectly cast, American Beauty is a great example of film as literature
Jeff "

American Beauty is a spectacular drama film brilliantly directed by Sam Mendes. American Beauty is an incredible film that is brilliantly crafted and brilliantly acted and directed. The film displays some strong acting from it's actors and Chris Cooper delivers one of his… More
American Beauty is a spectacular drama film brilliantly directed by Sam Mendes. American Beauty is an incredible film that is brilliantly crafted and brilliantly acted and directed. The film displays some strong acting from it's actors and Chris Cooper delivers one of his greatest performances. The story is quite strong here, and engages the viewer and you become suckered in by the solid acting and Mendes' strong directing. American Beauty is like a fine whiskey, you savor every minute of it, and you endulge in it's rich atmosphere it brings. A near flawless story with a brlliant array of talented actors, American Beauty is one of the best dramatic pictures filmed in recent times. Kevin Spacey delivers the performance of his career. As far as I'm concerned, this is Sam Mendes best film and American Beauty is a terrific cinematic achievement that remains a solid piece of of work. This is a film not to miss. What makes this film truly engaging is the rich characters, the conflicts that each and everyone faces. The relationship between Colonel Fitts and his son for example, and the constant rebellious that Lester Burnham unleashes after a midlife crises This is one of the best films that I've seen, and it's filled to the brim with solid acting that will please the true cinema fanatics. American Beauty is a superbly well crafted film.
Jay H

I don't think the film's vision could have been more fully realized. All of the film's lofty objectives are achieved, and then some. Though it initially feels like no more than a superficial satire on middle-class suburbia -- though it is a satire in many ways --… More
I don't think the film's vision could have been more fully realized. All of the film's lofty objectives are achieved, and then some. Though it initially feels like no more than a superficial satire on middle-class suburbia -- though it is a satire in many ways -- there's so much more to it. Few films so gracefully give us so much to think about, all while captivating us each and every wonderful second of its remarkable tale.
Lucas M

With great direction, a criative screenplay and terrific acting, American Beauty, show be one of the best films from 90's, together with your darky humor and the story of an dysfunctional family. Fresh.
Bethany M

Weird. Didn't really get it and didn't enjoy it at all. It's generous to give it half a star.
Brad W

Oscar winning drama that will never leave your mind, Spacey was a genius. There is an inner meaning to this movie few can comprehend, that even though there is so much eveil out there,there is always more beauty, and we fail to overlook that. The acting was fantastic, espically from… More
Oscar winning drama that will never leave your mind, Spacey was a genius. There is an inner meaning to this movie few can comprehend, that even though there is so much eveil out there,there is always more beauty, and we fail to overlook that. The acting was fantastic, espically from Kevin Spacey who deserved the Oscar. I suggest all people should see this movie, and I enjoy it. This movie came out the same year as The Sixth Sense, and even if I liked The Sixth Sense a little better, I have no regrets this one Best Picture.
Nadira I

Sam Mendes. Wow, I think I know how he usually make movies now. This one was very strange, but somehow disturbingly true. The characters were distinguishable in a good way, because they all represent different types of people. This movie touches many aspects of human life and how… More
Sam Mendes. Wow, I think I know how he usually make movies now. This one was very strange, but somehow disturbingly true. The characters were distinguishable in a good way, because they all represent different types of people. This movie touches many aspects of human life and how sometimes we all never satisfied on what we had and end up with nothing instead. Beautiful piece of art, which should be appreciated.
Shawn E

A masterpiece with a strong message and visuals. The Story and characters are very real, an incredible script with a lot of substance, and brilliant screenplay especially by Spacey make this film a memorable classic for the ages.
John H

Not even Kevin Spacey was enough to turn this teen chick-flick into a worthy picture. The characters are more creepish than relatable or even admirable. For a directoral debut it's certainly a good effort, but it is horrbile to see how everything plays out
Sajin P

Except for the final 20 minutes or so and for Kevin Spacey, it did'nt seem any better than an ordinary teen flick.
Jameson W

Absolutely fantastic film! I believe this film expresses a very culturally relevant message. It shows how broken our messed up lives can be on the inside with no expression of it on the outside, and it shows how in spite of all that, there's still beauty in life. The message is… More
Absolutely fantastic film! I believe this film expresses a very culturally relevant message. It shows how broken our messed up lives can be on the inside with no expression of it on the outside, and it shows how in spite of all that, there's still beauty in life. The message is very blunt, but the director brilliantly incorporates humor too. Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening were perfect as I expected, both giving great performances. Great movie!
MisterYoda ?

3 stars
Spencer S

A classic interpretation of how suburbia isn't all its cracked up to be, like a dry Blue Velvet.
Jake .

<I>"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's… More
<I>"I guess I could be pretty pissed off about what happened to me... but it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world. Sometimes I feel like I'm seeing it all at once, and it's too much, my heart fills up like a balloon that's about to burst... And then I remember to relax, and stop trying to hold on to it, and then it flows through me like rain and I can't feel anything but gratitude for every single moment of my stupid little life... You have no idea what I'm talking about, I'm sure. But don't worry... you will someday."</I> Well, this certainly is not a film where you get any points for originality in giving it five stars. It's also sort of mortifying to see that practically everyone else on earth has already seen it. I really think that Sam Mendes is one of the most tallented directors working today. He has the perfect nack for creating something that is complete real and affecting, but still surreal and beautiful. His characters may be a bit over the top, but we can still understand them, still love them. The camera never shies away from the bleak neurosis that permeates the 'ideal', modern family, the idiom of the American Dream, but in the end what we find is something optimistic, something beautiful.
Lewis C

"I don't think that there's anything worse than being ordinary." A second viewing of American Beauty leaves me thinking that it is not quite as amazing as I remember it being the first time around. The performances by Benning, Spacey, and Birch are still amazing,… More
"I don't think that there's anything worse than being ordinary." A second viewing of American Beauty leaves me thinking that it is not quite as amazing as I remember it being the first time around. The performances by Benning, Spacey, and Birch are still amazing, and the script is just as solid as I remember. But better movies about suburban suffocation have come along since 2000 (including Little Children and Mendes's own Revolutionary Road), and they handle the topic in a more focused (and therefore, more appealing to me) manner. I'll always be a fan of the unique and often surreal qualities of American Beauty (and it was good to be reminded of how great the ending was), but it doesn't impress me as much as it once did.
Jennifer D

I think it would be redundant to say it has some of the most amazing cinematography I've ever seen.