How can an AMERICAN film be so BEAUTYful?

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2001)

The first time I have seen this movie I felt like "What was this film about?". Then I saw it a second time and a third time and it became better with every view. I can't remember a lot of American movies with THAT deepness and "brain". AMERICAN BEAUTY is far away from stupid Blockbuster-Popcorn-Entertainement and it isn't a boring independent film. It's just incredible how good Kevin Spacey plays "Mr.Everybody Lester Barnes". In my opinion, this IS his best role, far better than John Doe in Se7en or Keyser in Usual Suspects. Remember this film is Sam Mendes' first film as a director. But everything is just perfect: The music, the stomach-punching scenes, especially the end. The actors are well-chosen, from Spacey to "materialistic wife" Annette Bening, from "Weirdo Next Door" Wes Bentley and "Lolita" Mena Suvari to the incredible "Addams Family-look-a-like" Thora Birch. But please don't expect a non-brainer with silly jokes and stupid sex scenes. It's without question one of the best films of the 90's with a lot of things which are worth to thinking about. I give this film, as the only one beside "Run Lola Run", "Dead Poet's Society" and "La vita e bella", the highest possible rate: 10 out of 10. I'm looking forward to Mendes' next film. Dear Mr Mendes, give us more films like that, I really think we need movies like that.