As Overrated as They Come

Rating: 1/10 (22 May 2000)

American Beauty is a mildly amusing satire that makes the fatal mistake of trying to deliver a "message". That mistake is compounded by the fact that the film takes a thoroughly elitist and transparently politically-influenced stance in its "examination" of American suburbia. This is not middle America as it is, this is middle America as the most pitiable of the Hollywood elite desperately want it to be. It's no surprise that the Oscars fawned all over this movie, and it's no surprise that most Americans tuned out the Oscars this year. Thanks, but no thanks. These are your problems, not ours.