A. Beauty

Rating: 9/10 (1 March 2010)

American Beauty is the story of a depressed, cynical forty-two year old Lester Burnham (Spacey) living in suburban America, who reaches a midlife crisis. His pathetic, quasi-narcissistic wife Carolyn (Bening), and introverted, angry teenage daughter Jane (Birch) lives turn upside-down when Lester decides to redefine his lifestyle, taking an interest in an array of interests usually limited to those of several decades less than his age, including Jane's friend Angela (Suvari), and his new beauty-obsessive next door neighbor Ricky Fitz, who also happens to be a drug dealer, and appears to be intimately interested in his daughter, Jane. His life unwinds, and spins as several independent plots cross each other, to lead to his eventual death, with every character having a motive, although this is not the main focus of the film. Every character is brimming with life, and individuality, and are all exceptionally represented. Directing, and screenplay are amazing, and the artistic direction is truly original. Definitely a film you must see before you die, especially if you are a suburban American.