A look at the American family of the 90's.

Rating: 8/10 (16 September 1999)

AMERICAN BEAUTY is one of those rare films that is shot following a screenplay, yet the way the film was made, at times you think it was real. It's a movie that looks at the typical American family of the 1990's, which is usually disfunctional. And it also helps the viewer find the "hidden" beauties in life that not many people see or they're just too busy to see. Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a employee at a advertising company who feels that his life has come to a dead-end. Lester tells the viewer that his life is empty, and the only excitement he gets everyday is when he "pleasures" himself while in the shower. Annette Benning plays his wife, Carolyn Burnham, a real estate agent who wants life to be perfect, a
perfect family, a perfect marriage, a perfect job, and a perfect lifestyle. Unfortunate for Carolyn, only the lifestyle is what Carolyn can do perfect, perhaps too perfect. Thora Birch plays their teenage daughter, Jane. Because of the father that doesn't give her attention, and the mother that wants what's good for the mother, not for herself, she's become alienated among many people at her school, except for her friend Angela (the beautiful Mena Suvari, "Choir Chick" from AMERICAN PIE) and the "freak" who lives next door, Ricky (Wes Bentley). Angela has the face, body, and attitude of a super-model, she also likes to brag how boys fantasize her. Ricky on the other hand, doesn't know many people and is considered a "freak" by his classmates since his military strict father (played by the always wonderful Chris Cooper) sent him to a mental institution for two years. It isn't until Lester sees Angela for the first time, that he finally feels alive. He forgot how good life is, and that it should be enjoyed while it lasts. So Lester decides to do things the way he wants to do them, which also includes quitting his job. This gets Carolyn angry, and the only pleasure she finds is having a affair with a competitor real estate agent (Peter Gallagher). Jane finds her pleasure by getting close to the boy next door, she finds out that he is actually intelligent, and has a good eye on seeing beautiful things that most overlook. AMERICAN BEAUTY isn't like any film that I have ever seen. Usually a film one have one of these characters in a movie. And usually that one character would be the most intresting person in the movie. But not AMERICAN BEAUTY, all of the characters are intresting, and they are all unique in a different way. I found AMERICAN BEAUTY to be a masterpiece when it comes to character study, these are very different and complex characters. Yet, when it comes to describing the plot, it's just a story about different people, there really isn't much of a plot. It isn't complex or thick, like L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, PULP FICTION, and CITIZEN KANE. Yet that doesn't make it a bad movie, it's excellent! It's still worth watching. I'm guessing that people complain that many films today have character's which are just cardboard and phony. You won't get any phonies in AMERICAN BEAUTY, all of them seem very real, which is why I found this to be one of the best films of the year! ***** (out of five)