American Beauty is a screen-play Oscar winner.

Rating: Null/10 (19 October 1999)

American Beauty works so well not only ("not only", he says!), because of the performances and flawless interaction among characters, (they're superb, with Kevin Spacey's character a kind of tragic figure who breaks his bonds, then dies for his trouble) but-- pay attention now-it works because of da script, boss, da script'!. If Alan Ball is solely responsible, he reminds us of the old fashion and sometimes forgotten notion that good writing drives good film-making every time. From scene to scene, American Beauty hangs together--- no phony sequences, no dead moments-action occurs in profoundly simple context -pace, dialogue, tension, sexy moments; imagery floats in your consciousness as you take in American Beauty rose petals (what else?) and wind-blown plastic debris framed against a ganzfeld brick wall. Where "A Simple Plan" hangs on raw honesty and portentousness, American Beauty adds humor, charm, sexy 18 year olds, and an intergenerational mind-meld that sucks you into the action. Yeah. See it.
Wayne E. Page