An absolutely incredible experience

Rating: 10/10 (1 April 2000)

American Beauty was recently re-released in my town after having a shamefully short run. I had seen it the first time, without hearing any of the hype, and thought it was a stunning achievement. After seeing it again, I still think it's a stunning achievement. Is it the best film of 1999? Yes, there is no doubt in my mind. Magnolia is the only one that comes close (in my mind) to it's power.
A lot of people have been comparing to Happiness and The Ice Storm. I liked Happiness, but not The Ice Storm. However, American Beauty tries to be neither. Though it is similar to The Ice Storm, the characters in American Beauty were human, unlike the ice figurines found in The Ice Storm. Happiness was far more ambitious than American Beauty, but focused on the mordant characters. This film tries to find real beauty, and that is it's strength.
The performances from the actors are truly magnificent. Kevin Spacey deserved his Oscar, and gave edge to some brilliant lines. The power he gave to this line "You don't get to tell me what to do. Ever. Again" could have taken oil off a potato chip. This is his finest role (and performance) to date. Annette Benning is also great, but the supporting actors deserved more mention than they received. Wes Bentley gave a powerful performance as Ricky Fitts, and I would have loved to see him get an Oscar nomination. Thora Birch and Mena Suvari were also excellent. They each had scenes that they handled incredibly well (Suvari's final scene with Spacey, Birch's fight with her father).
Alan Balls' screenplay was written exceptionally well. The emotion and power he gives his characters brings them to life on the screen. Conrad L. Hall's photography was majestic and awe inspiring. Thomas Newman's score was perfect, as was the editing.
I can't believe this is Sam Mendes first film. He directs with skill and talent (though you can tell he was a theater director) and brings together the performances, script, and technical details to make one the finest film of 1999, weaving tragedy, satire, and irony to make a truly touching movie.

To compare this film to the Oscar pageantry of The Cider House Rules would be ridiculous. A lot of people will say that American Beauty was overhyped, and maybe it was. But consider this: American Beauty is not an Oscar film (Spacey pleasuring himself in the shower, vs cute little orphans), but it has the audacity, originality, and brilliance to shine a light at American suburbia in late 90's.