Biting Suburban Satire

Rating: 10/10 (20 December 2005)

"American Beauty" is an astounding movie debut for writer Alan Ball and director Sam Mendes.
They seem influenced by the Coen Brothers stable for their warped, humorous, satirical take on American Life.
The cast is absolutely perfect.
Kevin Spacey is as good as he was in "Usual Suspects," which is really saying something. Chris Cooper once again shows his protean side, compared to the good old boys he's been playing lately.
I can't recall Annette Bening ever being so brittle before. Though she is playing the Ultimate Suburban Wife she does get a couple of sympathetic moments.
The teens are completely believable and captivating, often with very little dialog, though I nearly gagged on the Lolita element, as I have strong feelings about that boundary.
The cinematography is beautiful, moving seamlessly from suburban idyll to dream sequences to video watching (with lots of symbolism about watching vs. participating).
The parents' music was chosen very well and is integral to the story line, though I don't think the kids' got to be represented audio-wise to contrast with the classic rock that symbolized living in the past.
(originally written 9/26/1999)