Truly, a film that is full of beauty.

Rating: 10/10 (1 December 2003)

This is without doubt a fantastic film. May as well get the obvious hyperbole out of the way first. The directorial debut of Sam Mendes is assured and confident, exuding touches that one would easily associate with directors like David Lynch (the use of symbolism and scenes of a dream like surreal quality) and Robert Altman (the use of an ensemble cast). For a first timer this is one a fantastic debut, on a par with Reservoir Dogs for sheer brilliance.
It would be easy to go on and on about Mendes and his being a first time director but it is what goes on inside his film that really matters. The tale of Lester Burnham and his last year alive is one that you can really sink your teeth into, whether it be the symbolism of the red roses or the way everyone reacts to their life as if it is disastrous when it is not. This is a tale full of irony. Lester (played with great aplomb, wit and style by Kevin Spacey) decides to give his mundane life meaning. Quitting his job and living a life of pushing weights, listening to Pink Floyd and smoking dope, his life appears to be gaining a sense of enjoyable meaning when everyone else is miserable and falling apart. Or so it would seem. Look closer cries the tag line on the poster and look closer is what you should do. Everyone is not miserable, at least those who think they are. His daughter Jane (the sublime Thora Birch) appears to be the usual bitchy daughter and she appears miserable, but by finding love with next door neighbor Ricky, her life finds purpose in an otherwise chaotic surrounding. Likewise, Carolyn (Annette Benning), Lester's wife, who finds temporary happiness with Buddy Kane, a rival estate agent. Then there is Jane's best friend, Angela, who appears to live the perfect life, but who it turns out is still a virgin and is more wholesome than she lets out. She is living a life that we see makes her miserable when she tries to stop Jane from running of with Ricky. Likewise Ricky's father Frank, a staunch Nazi supporter who is as confused as everyone else.
This, of course, leads to disaster at the end. Lester is killed at the moment where he experiences true happiness for the first time in his life, when he realizes that he loves his family after all, and it is his wife and daughter he really wants, not Angela. To say this is perfect cinema would be an understatement. Never has a film been released that contains such vicious, vile characters, yet have an oddly uplifting emotional center and a conclusion that should be depressing but is oddly optimistic. At the end everybody is left with unhappiness at the end. Carolyn loses her husband, Jane loses her father, Ricky's mother is left with her husband, yet despite what happened to him Lester is in peace, evident by a beautiful voice over from Spacey who tells us how much he has come to realize that life was always worth living. Without doubt this is one of the most superb pieces of film making I have ever seen. Backed by a mainstream studio and going on to Oscar success, this is a case of a beautiful and intelligent film being excepted for what it is. Beautiful and intelligent.