An immense movie

Rating: Null/10 (12 April 2000)

Having seen this film four times now, I feel ready to begin to plumb the depths of this modern masterpiece. 'American Beauty' stands as a solemn exposure of the hollowness of the American dream. And the more times I watch it, the more the film polarizes. My first watch I laughed at pretty much everything. But by the fourth time, some bits had become even funnier, and other bits didn't make me laugh at all, because they were just plain sad.
Whilst this may not have the adrenaline hit of its cousin 'Fight Club', it is much more poignant, and repeated viewings yield greater benefits. I actually thought both the films possessed a somewhat adolescent rhetoric, but all the adults I've spoken to about this movie absolutely adored it too.
So I'm not going to be regurgitatious and say what's been said already. This film is hardly a well-kept secret. What can I say? This is one of the best films in a year of absolutely wonderful ones.