Perfectly made, but that's only half its brilliance.

Rating: 10/10 (20 May 2000)

Right, let us get this right out of the way. American Beauty is absolutely flawless technically, perfectly directed, perfectly acted, perfectly scripted, perfectly shot.
These factors however, are only half the charm- because it wasn't the technical brilliance of the film that had me walking out in absolute awe- it was the films message, its plea to the world, especially to America, floating just beneath the surface, which, as the film says, is the nature of beauty itself. We may already know the things that the movie teaches us, but the point is not to teach but to affirm what you already suspect, or knew, but the routine of life had made you forget. After watching depressing films such as Blade Runner and Full Metal Jacket, (which of course are still brilliant in their own right), American Beauty is affirmation that life is indeed beautiful, and worth living.
That said, and the movie is also hilarious and Kevin Spacey is possibly the best actor of the decade.