Directed by:
Sam MendesScreenplay:
Alan BallCinematography:
Conrad L. HallComposer:
Thomas NewmanCast:
Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, Chris Cooper, Scott Bakula, Sam Robards (more)VOD (1)
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Look closer at the most talked about film. A funny, moving and shocking journey through life in suburban America. Look closer at fortysomething ad man Lester Burnham and his status-seeking wife, Carolyn, as their marriage and lives slowly unravel. Lester's wife hates him, his daughter Jane regards him with contempt, and his boss is positioning him for the axe. Look closer, as Lester decides to make a few changes in his life the freer he gets, the happier he gets. But Lester is about to learn that the ultimate freedom comes at the ultimate price. (Umbrella Entertainment)
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Reviews (12)
A unique film that stands on absolutely stunning performances, but also on a great script and excellent direction. Kevin Spacey guides you through small-town life, and its veneer peels off like a band-aid, revealing the tissue underneath rotting away. And yet, it's still entertaining and emotional, and you'll be on the edge of your seat. And then there's Mena...
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I've seen this film many times (and probably will many more times :)), however I'm only writing this review now. The reason is the same as with The Dark Knight (I understand that this "comparison" may seem a bit bizarre at first glance.)) – I consider American Beauty to be a perfect film that I love because of one rather significant thing, and that is that those less than two hours of storytelling by Sam Mendes and Alan Ball absolutely got me and got to me. Mendes' directorial skill is evident from the very first minutes as he gradually introduces the viewer to that advertisement for a happy marriage, and also to the fact that many things in human life are one big absurdity that will one day come to an equally absurd end... I really don't know what to single out first – Kevin Spacey's acting, Alan Ball's brilliant screenplay and Sam Mendes' equally brilliant direction, Thomas Newman's beautiful score, or the performances of the other actors involved. American Beauty is a wonderful film, even if it is actually a rather scathing critique of America itself. :)
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The film that made Steven Spielberg cry. Mendes's sure-footed, inventive direction, a clever screenplay beating mercilessly at the hypocritical morals and warped relationships of the average American family, and phenomenal performances, including the supporting roles (the excellent Chris Cooper!!) made this unassuming film a well-deserved cinematic event of the year. The emotional ending only underscores the extraordinary and profound experience. When my friend and I walked home from the cinema, we hardly spoke a word, how deeply we were moved. MUST SEE!
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Admittedly, it scares me a bit that I fully identify with the character of a middle-aged, declining pussy-whipped guy who falls for his daughter's hot friend and gets a new drive in life with visions of a redemptive fuck, but on the other hand, Kevin Spacey's Lester is the only character that the script portrays believably and properly tragicomic, unlike the other peculiar individuals who represent various psychological, hormonal or opinion extremes, whose merging into a single plot weave is admittedly cinematically impressive, but intellectually overwrought and simply unbelievable. The actors are, of course, excellent (besides the amazing Spacey, for example, there’s Chris Cooper and his militant asshole) and, with the help of one of the most beautiful melancholic soundtracks, Mendes leads the story in such a brilliant way that the final minutes are indelibly etched in your memory. That said, a film festooned with accolades and regarded as inspiring, concise and artistically distinctive should look different, certainly more explicit and unconventional – this is an exemplary, suitably forward-looking Hollywood jigsaw puzzle that just manages to look extremely clever and functional, and I quite adore it.
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On a first viewing, it is an original film experience that delivers a probe into the American middle class presented in an unconventional and unique way. However, I believe that with each subsequent viewing, the viewer's satisfaction is slightly undermined, and the resulting product seems weaker and weaker. Sam Mendes has a sensitive and diligent direction, emphasizing details, and the screenplay is excellently developed, especially when it comes to the characters. Nevertheless, the whole thing seems too polished and meticulously arranged to me. It's as if with this film, Mendes wanted to say “I am a true artist, look at me.”
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