Beauty in the least likely of places

Rating: 10/10 (20 January 2007)

To start this review, it would seem potent to almost recommend that you don't read it, unless you have already seen the film. For full effect, despite the tales of of praise and greatness the film has attracted, it's still far more rewarding to enter the experience with a relatively open mind - to simply sit back, and let the story, characters and each little intricacy wash over you, making your own assessments. Fear not - you will not be disappointed.
At first glance, American Beauty might appear to be just another one of those "realistic and touching portrait of an average family" films which continually seem to coax far more awards out of the Academy than they are worth. No. Stop that train of thought right there. Because American Beauty may be a portrait of a family, yes, but it keeps up no pretenses of normalcy - rather how "normalcy" is a quality only represented through elaborate fronts to hide how excessively abnormal most families are, and how, quite frankly, it makes them far more interesting and compelling.
The film's tagline "...look closer" for once manages to overcome the pretentious glitz of most promotional material, and actually serves as a suggestion when viewing the film. At first, the characters may seem mere archetypes, simply passed off as "messed up" or "weird", but honestly, such a judgement can never truthfully be made until this simply masterful portrayal has reached its conclusion, as new lights are shone on this incredibly elaborate and painfully genuine web of characters. Each character in the film, without exception, appears noticeably flawed, yes, but out of their flaws, real people emerge, complete with the depth and personal intricacies which movies are so seldom able to capture. Never once does the film ring of anything except absolute truth - these are real people we are watching here, and that is what makes them so compelling, unsavoury qualities and all.
Director Sam Mendes (winner of the best director Oscar) kick started his now stellar career with this one of a kind masterpiece. Working with screenwriter Alan Ball (who also won an Oscar), who allegedly wrote the script as a play first (the influence shows throughout) Mendes is able to show remarkable depth, and rather than passing judgement on any of the players, simply presents them as they are, making stereotyping and assumptions impossible. But apart from the remarkable truth Mendes is able to retain from his actors, he also demonstrates a wonderfully artistic touch, and an almost unparalleled flair for innovative cinematography, which justifiably also took home an Academy Award. The recurring motive of roses is simply unforgettable, and although it may seem bizarre at first, there is no denying the unquestionable beauty - much like the rest of the film, in effect.
Perhaps the one of the best and most truthful ensemble casts to grace the screen in ages, we never once see actors on-screen but merely the characters they inhabit so completely. Kevin Spacey gives the performance of his career, perfectly essaying every inch of Lester Burnham, and turning what might have been passed off as a typical mid-life crisis into something extraordinarily vivid, his usual charisma glinting between nearly closed eyes. It's unlikely that halfway through the film a single viewer will have not had the urge to strangle Annette Benning's Carolyn Burnham, which is a testament to how well she inhabited the role of the superficial, possessive wife. Yet by the end of the film, once again, judgement is reserved as she, as well as the rest of the characters, instigates a complete change in our opinions - the film culminates with no real villains, Carolyn included. Thora Birch gives a subdued yet charismatic performance as the family's troubled daughter, and Wes Bently is simply superb as the offbeat next-door neighbour, with a twisted yet genuine appreciation for beauty. Mena Suvari of American Pie fame is a noteworthy presence as the young girl who attracts Lester's attention, and Chris Cooper truly shines, there is no better word for it, as the painfully uptight and traditional military father of Wes Bently's character.
All in all, American Beauty is one of the strongest character studies to grace the screen in recent memory, and arguably in film history, deserving every Oscar and award it achieved. Still, the enormous amounts of praise the movie has attracted aside, it's still surprising how affecting the movie actually is, and how incessantly it sticks with you, days, weeks, months after its initial viewing. Safe to say, this is one for the ages, and if you have yet to experience American Beauty - don't be afraid to. It may appear uninteresting and stereotypical, but upon closer inspection... beauty can be found in the most unexpected places.
-10/10