American Beauty redifining the meaning of beauty and living life

Rating: 8/10 (1 May 2020)

The meaning of beauty differs from perspective to perspective. Some people may find beauty in simple things which is without any desires or wishes and some may find beauty in material things filled with lust and hunger. Sam Mendes in this masterpiece tries to tell us that the meaning of beauty in this modern world is not letting your life waste and living it upto its fullest. The movie revolves around the daily problems of an ordinary middle class man named Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) who is trying to find happiness and balance in his life. He is having a hard time in his marriage with Carolyn (Annette Bening). Their daughter Jane (Thora Birch) despises and hates them for interfering in her life often. Amidst this, Lester develops an infatuation for Jane's cheerleader friend Angela (Mena Suvari) and starts having sexual fantasies about her. I was amazed by how delicately Sam Mendes puts forth the idea of beauty and combines this with the American dream. Kevin Spacey delivers a mind blowing performance. No wonder this movie bagged five academy awards including best picture, director and actor in a lead role. This movie is a definite watch for those who want to introspect deep into their lifestyles along with some good drama and fabulous acting.