A movie that teaches you to never judge a book by it's cover

Rating: 8/10 (7 December 2015)

American Beauty is an exceptionally well crafted piece of art, a piece of art that teaches us to never judge a book by it's cover. Sam Mendes, director, and Conrad Hall, cinematographer, link up for this first time in this movie and create an absolute masterpiece. The whole aesthetic of the movie just works. From the atmospheric lighting to the camera angles you really see something special about the Mendes-Hall dynamic. This dynamic comes into play again in the 2002 'Road to Perdition'. These two are truly skilled at their respective professions and there's no question that Mendes deserved an Academy Award and Golden Globe. From the outset it's clear that, aside from the cinematography and directing, the acting is one of the most prime attractions of the film. Kevin Spacey plays a man who is almost tormented by his lust for his teenage daughters friend. However, don't be fooled. This movie does not center around an adult who persistently craves the attention and love of a minor, despite IMDb's almost-misleading one liner. The movie focuses on Kevin Spacey's character, Lester, who is surviving a broken marriage, a terrible relationship with his daughter and a deplorable relationship with his work peers. Spacey's acting is excellent and throughout the entire narrative you'll never see him leave character, with Kevin's character always appearing to be tormented and misguided. Another prominent acting performance comes from Mena Suvari, who plays Lester's daughters friend. Her acting is so well executed because, believe it or not, she plays the frigid and innocent choir girl in American Pie. She plays a promiscuous teen who attracts Lester. After watching this movie you'll really notice just how skilled both Spacey and Suvari are in this movie. One issue I have is I feel the film should've gone for longer. I wanted more from the characters, more from the story, and more from Sam Mendes. I didn't feel 100% satisfied. Nevertheless, an incredible piece of work.