Perfection doesn't come much closer.

Rating: 10/10 (7 September 2004)

This is simply a movie not to be missed. It is an 'eye-opening' glimpse of suburban life in Chicago and from start to finish I wanted to hold on to every word of dialogue. It reminded me of when I had watched 'Donnie Darko' and what made that movie so magnificent was the great mystery among the characters. I hadn't heard of Jake Gyllenhaal and I normally don't go for movies without at least 1 familiar face.
But I felt the way I did for Donnie Darko similarly for Jane Burnham and Ricky Fits(Thora Birch and Wes Bently) because I know little about the actors. What I have come to realize is that if you don't know the actor/actress then you don't know the character. For example if you are watching a Schwarzenegger movie you know he will grab someone and stick him on a spike at some stage. As for Jane and Ricky, you have no idea what they're going to do. A drama like this needs just that and Birch and Bently commanded this role with tremendous authority. Adding to this we have the ever-reliable presence of Kevin Spacey, playing Jane's mixed up middle-aged father Lester.
I can hardly describe the content of 'American Beauty' because I wouldn't know where to begin. There's something for everyone's taste in this movie. Drama, horror, romance, comedy, suspense...you name it!
I could go on forever. But I'll let other users do that.
Look closer...10/10.