Not a rose by far

Rating: 2/10 (10 October 1999)

By reading the comments that have been posted on and about this movie, one would assume going in to expect, perhaps, a new "Citizen Kane," "The Godfather," "Braveheart," some type of new form of film that would inspire. Rather, it is merely a new director's attempt to run mainstream film noir by using contemporary debates.
The film is centered around the character played by Spacey as a management level, middle-aged man, working his way through a mid-life crisis. His wife, Bening, is focused completely on her job and gives and takes everything within the family. Rounding out the family is a teenager who seems to be a normal teenager by today's standards; moody, unstable and on drugs.
The film follows one year of theirs lives and the interactions, which are lengthy and very withdrawn. It seems that Bening read the script the morning of filming and her mind was elsewhere. Spacey plays his role well; unfortunately the role is written poorly and gives off a horrible sense of his having to adapt to this throughout the movie.
To judge this film as "one of the year's best" is extremely narrow minded. It seems that every film totes a "thumbs-up" on their trailers but few live up to these prophecies; this is no exception. American Beauty is rather Ugly.