Great Film

Rating: 9/10 (22 January 2015)

American Beauty is widely considered as one of the best films of the 90's and by some, one of the best films of all time. It has a great cast, great characters and superb acting. The story follows a year in the life of two families, living next door to each other, who appear to be different on the outside but extremely similar behind closed doors. One family appears as a classic appearing American, suburban family, a well off Mum and Dad and a spoilt moody teenager who seems to hate the world. Kevin Spacey plays Lester, a man who is suffering from depression and falls into a midlife crisis as he became infatuated in his teenage daughters new best friend (played by Mena Suvari). The family next door consists of an Ex-Marine father, his wife and their withdrawn, anti-social teenage son, who films his entire life on his video camera.
American Beauty is an emotional film that really makes you think about life and the day to day struggles that so many people in this world face. If you scratch slightly below the surface you see what families like this can be like. Kevin Spacey plays a fantastic role as Lester, his is able to get the message across that Depression is serious and that it is ruining his life but he also adds just enough humour, and he is a really likable character. The script is brilliant and makes telling this story very convincing and believable. Kevin Spacey also narrates the movie, I found this to be a nice touch and very effective as you hear what is going on inside the mind of a man suffering from depression.
Overall I would recommend this film to anybody looking for a movie with a strong storyline and convincing acting, if you are in a low mood and looking for a pick-me-up movie, then I would avoid this!
9/10