American Beauty Movie Review

American Beauty was a movie I had heard a lot about but never really got around to actually seeing until recently. It released in 1999, was directed by Sam Mendes , and starred Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening. It was a nice break from many movies that often release today in the sense that it really had such a unique take on such an interesting theme that you wouldn't normally find too captivating. Not to mention it won 5 Academy Awards at the 72nd Annual Academy Awards.

Spacey and Bening play Lester and Carolyn Burnham a married middle-aged couple with a teenage daughter. Lester is pretty much a huge loser with no real accomplishments in life. He has a boring job and no one really respects him including his wife and daughter at home. The movie is really genius when you understand the satirical aspects and see what Mendes is trying to show you. Middle class America with themes of superficial and materialistic needs among others. When Lester meets Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari) a friend of his daughter, he becomes infatuated with her and everything in his life is flipped upside down.

Lester pretty much embarks on this mid-life crisis where he isn't sure what to do, but positive that he doesn't want to continue living the way he has been for years; stagnantly and marked by routine. Between his obsession with Angela and the courage gained to stand up to his wife and daughter, Lester begins to enjoy life. But it doesn't come without a price which will be revealed as the film unfolds.

It may be dull at times for some but I really enjoyed the character development and feel that it was perfectly casted. You can't really go wrong with Kevin Spacey in my opinion. I give American Beauty a 9 out of 10 and strongly recommend it!