Best of 1999?

Rating: 7/10 (11 June 2001)

American Beauty was an interesting foot note in the explosion of avant garde films of 1999. But I have a severe problem putting it close to the top of that year. Most people feel that one of the more overlooked films of that particular year was Fight Club which deals with some of the same ideas only on a much broader and more anarchistic way.
American Beauty should be looked at as an American tragedy much like A Raisin in the Sun. But just because it's "like" A Raisin in the Sun doesn't mean it's also great.
The film contains some great acting from Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, and the entire cast but the story is overly cliche at times and lacks the reality that it sets itself up to be. If all of this is supposed to be taking place in a real world, as Mendes sets up, there are several substantial problems. It seems in his world POT has no smell and successful drug dealers are not the brightest bulbs in the house.
To many times this film tries to be a character study and is unable to because of the unbelievability of the characters. Again, this is not a problem with the acting but rather the film making.
I suppose I was more impressed with The Sixth Sense and Fight Club as potential motion pictures of the year.
Again, not bad, but not great either.