Look closer indeed

Rating: 10/10 (4 October 1999)

This is one of those films that sticks with you for hours after viewing.
This is one of those films that requires multiple trips to the theatre.
This is one of those films where the directing, cinematography, script, and acting blow you away.
American Beauty is a gem in a year that was short on ambition in movie-making. It's curious that the few who hate this movie do it on the basis of moral objection. They want to skirt the issues of lust, violence, and feelings of angst, worthlessness, and frustration. They miss the point of this poignant Hollywood triumph. They miss the themes of hope, love, and faithfulness that also play a part in the film. They refuse to look closer.
The Academy has consistently disappointed me in the past, by snubbing such films as LA Confidential, The Shawshank Redemption, and Life is Beautiful, and I suspect they will do so again this year. But American Beauty is truly the best movie of 1999 thus far. Kevin Spacey is the best actor of 1999 and Chris Cooper is the best supporting actor of 1999.
Look closer. You won't regret it.