There are good films and there are great films...

Rating: 8/10 (10 September 2000)

AMERICAN BEAUTY
Â…and context plays a huge part in what is defined good or great. Yes: as regards the mainstream studio system, AMERICAN BEAUTY is an earth-shattering revelation. However, after all the excess praise lauded on its shoulders, hindsight suggests the film is far from perfect.
Kevin Spacey is always great, but in jaded pawn Lester Burnham he delivers his finest performance to date. At first he appears to be an impotent protagonist, but by the end of the film, he has made a complete journey from one unfulfilling life to the dawn of another, liberated existence. Unfortunately this journey is hindered by Sam Mendes' kid-gloves direction. He devotes so much screen time to underdeveloped, super-simplistic caricatures and this detracts from the impact of the film.
Good actors deliver stereotype roles with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, such as Chris Carter (the explicitly evil homophobe drill sergeant) or Peter Gallagher (a sleazy salesman). The opportunity to make a sincere statement about small-town homophobia is squandered with a resolution straight out of a Benny Hill sketch. Mendes and writer Alan Ball seem desperate to wrap the viewer in cotton wool, from the revealing opening (not necessarily a bad thing) to the contrived end.
Thankfully, the flaws of plot mechanics are overcome by a great lead performance. It doesn't say as much about suburban discontent as HAPPINESS, or have the same force as the far-superior FIGHT CLUB, but AMERICAN BEAUTY is a challenging example of its own kind, accommodating mainstream fare.

I agree with the user comment about the film being life affirming, not nihilistic. It is just a shame I found it a little too manipulative, dishonest even. But it would be nice to see more films like this in the multiplex. Unfortunately, twelve months down the track it doesn't seem the studios have taken up the challenge.