Spec-TAC-u-LAR!

Rating: Null/10 (27 November 2007)

Okay, so I don't think there's much left to be said about this masterpiece. "American Beauty" is one of those rare instant classics, a landmark of the 90's and one of the best debut features ever (which is both a blessing and a curse for a director - let's hope Sam Mendes doesn't end up like Orson Welles).
This bittersweet tale of ordinary suburban lives about an average husband (Kevin Spacey), his ambitious wife (Annette Bening), their unhappy only child (Thora Birch), the weirdo next door (Wes Bentley), his severe father (Chris Cooper), his catatonic mother (Allison Janney) and a certain blonde cheerleader (Mena Suvari), reaches a heavenly level of authenticity and poignancy thanks to a witty, pitch-perfect script (by Alan Ball, who would later create the brilliant TV series "Six Feet Under"), a wonderful cast (Spacey and Cooper, especially), Mendes's sensible directing, Conrad L. Hall's beautiful cinematography and Thomas Newman's unforgettable score (which has been copied ad nauseam since then, by the way).
"American Beauty" is as thought-provoking and sad as it is, in a weird way, uplifting. To realize the mediocrity in your life; to try to change it or let it be, that's the question. Whichever's your choice, there'll be a high price to pay; thus, no one's a complete hero or villain in this story. Lack of communication, character flaws and hypocrisy all add up to what happens to these people; we feel bad for them, despise them, and root for them, for they all ring so true. That's because they're real, and great writers like Ball have a special talent to expose the good, the bad and the ugly in human nature.
My only "problem" with this film is that it came out in 1999 (one of the greatest years for films, ever), just like my all-time favourite, "Magnolia", which was almost completely snubbed by the Academy (which gave "American Beauty" 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Director). Naturally, I'd have liked "Magnolia" to win, but AB is a more than acceptable replacement since the Academy actually awarded a great film that year. "American Beauty", even without being the best film of its year, still manages to be a masterpiece.
"It's just a couch!", Lester (Spacey) yells in one scene. "This isn't life, it's just stuff. And it's become more important to you than living. Well, honey, that's just nuts".
And isn't he right?
...look closer. 10/10.