Screenwriter Alan Ball has offered a masterpiece of artistry and craftsmanship, which snares your gut and twists.

Rating: 10/10 (31 October 1999)

First Mr. Ball grabs your cynical funnybone while taking a poke at parents, teens, marriage, and lousy jobs. And then when you're not looking he smacks you in the face with a brick filled with the drama, pain and struggle of being a teenager, a man in a miserable marriage and the son of a pathologically prejuidiced right winger. Director Sam Mendes vision of this extraordinary script is a stunning is a truly remarkable directing debut. As with his recent theatrical revival of "Cabaret" his work is edgy, innovative and disturbing. With all due respect to him, as he is a first rate talent, I do hope that the media at large gives full credit to writer Alan Ball, as this is perhaps the most perfect screenplay produced in a decade. Oscar noms are deserving of writer, director, cinematographer, best supporting actor: Chris Cooper, leads Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning. A classic is born.