A Unique and Compelling Experience

Rating: 8/10 (10 November 2016)

Sam Mendes' "American Beauty" is a strange movie but one that is interesting and relatable and has an interesting way of looking at its characters in a relatable and human way lead by an incredible performance from Kevin Spacey. Spacey just eats this character up he makes him human and sympathetic, every time he's punched around by his family or just life in general Spacey pulls it of with class and defiantly earned his Oscar for this movie. Annette Benning was also great in this film she completely sinks herself into the character of this horrible and cruel wife while I do have some problems with her character Bennings performance is not one of them. I have seen very little of Wes Bentley but he blew me away in this movie I loved his character he at first comes off as an outsider but you come to realise that he has the freedom that very few others do and in a way come to envy him. I love Chris Cooper but I had no idea he was capable of giving such a terrifying performance he's so good in this film and his character arc is such a delight to watch, you come to understand why he is the way he is and come to feel as much sympathy for him than you do for Spacey. Everyone in this movie has a compelling character arc that always gives its characters something to do. Spaceys arc was easily the films best it's just encases everything that anyone would ever want to do if they just let go of the what's expected of him. The way this movie looks at suburban American is done just right it's not done in an insulting way but in an eye opening way, we are able to see how it can tie people down and limits their capabilities. Every decision made by a character in this film makes sense, no matter how bad the choices may be we get why they make them even the eventual murder of Spaceys character is done in an understandable way. However I do have a few problems with this movie for one every character was understandable except for Bennings she just was a horrible person and we never really understood why, she's clearly The one to blame for the bad marriage and they should have devoted more time to build her character up more. I didn't mind the fact that Spaceys character dies in the end but I really wish that they had left it open ended, like me have to guess which one character was responsible for the murder and would have warranted more repeat viewings and made the film all the more compelling.
American Beauty is such a great film it's got a beautiful (pun intended) of handling its characters and themes it's directed and edited beautifully and there is no other movie like it.
86%/A-