American Beauty [DVD]

I decided to 'review' this film after reading the 1-starred reviews and other rants against American Beauty. Whilst there is obviously a degree of opinion involved in judging a film, I fail to see how anyone can rate this film to such a low extent.This is why American Beauty is probably one of the top 5 films you will ever see or know.It is real. Infact, it is so real, but you cannot help but relate to all the characters. "But I'm not a stressed worker, a mad wife, a grumpy teenager, and psycho who films paper bags or an ex-army bigoted patriot." OK, you're not, but 'look closer' and you will realise that you can relate to at least ONE trait from at least ONE character in the film.And finally, and most importantly of all; post-modernism. This is the best part about this incredible film. According to American Beauty, and indeed society, life is now post-modern. And this is what is so sad yet beautiful about this film. There is now past or future to relate to, because everything is the perpetual present. Lester desperately tries to recapture his youth but he can't.There is a loss of critical distance by Lester, and the semiotics have become more important than the car itself. He has just quit his job in order to live his life to the full, or in postmodern terms, reaching for the nostalgia to recreate his 'authentic' youth. He purchases a Cadillac car, and when his wife Carolyn points out that he is about to spill beer on her designer couch that has been "upholstered in Italian silk"; he retorts "It's just a couch!" What is interesting is that he cannot see that he himself has lost all critical distance, and is indeed himself part of a commodified culture due to his own purchase and does not realise the extent to which extent American culture has been characterised by commodification. The transaesthetics of Lester's nature (ie he doesn't realise / prefers the fake) that he himself is equally materialistic and part of the commodification process that he slammed his wife for in regard to her "italian silk" sofas) show that he cannot and will not be able to capture those moments he longs for again.The surbaban travesty continues, with Carolyn's obsession with materialism and social status simply magnify her empty personality and lack of 'real' life. Jane's depression and feeling of lack of individuality, desperately wanting to become a copy of a copy (by looking at breast enlargements). Mina Suvari's character of a Burbank girl obsessed with looks just adds to the sadness of the film.So with the above in mind, the numb factors hit you sideways. The paper-bag flowing in the wind? No, not some hippy manifestation, but a simple cold hard look at life and what priorities are. Paper-bag in wind vs. materialistic designer/celebrity handbags that belong to the residents of the Holmby Hills. The music simply quadrouples the effect, especially with Lester's thoughts at the end and Jane and her nextdoor neighbour walking home together.It is also a satire on modern-day obesseion with celebrity lifestyle, and is poking fun at the tall decaffe skinny latte stay at home moms. And for those people who don't get it? Look closer.

When people ask you what your favorite film is or what you think is the best or greatest film you have ever seen, you can give all sorts of reasons such as every time you see the specific film. I choose American Beauty as what I believe to be the greatest film ever made because I have seen a vast number of films and it's unlike any other film I have ever seen so far. To put it shortly, it's certainly the most original film I have ever seen.It tells the story of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a middle aged magazine executive who decides to change his life by ignoring his overachieving domineering wife Carolyn (Annette Bening), smoking pot, quitting the job he hates and also developing a sexual attraction for his daughter's friend (Mena Suvari). The acting is completely flawless. I have never seen acting in a film where both the supporting cast and the lead cast are all brilliant. Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening are a powerful team and together they create two of the best performances in the history of cinema. The supporting cast consisting of Wes Bentley, Thora Birch, Mena Suvari, Chris Cooper, Peter Gallagher and Allison Janney, are both well cast and well immersed into their characters to the point where you believe they might as well be playing themselves. The characters in this film are just flawless. Lester played by Spacey is a really great character; a man who knows he should be set free and be rid of his domineering wife Carolyn played by Bening. If there was one character that I would describe as my favorite, then I think I'd go with Angela played by Mena Suvari. She is so nasty, so overconfident and so repugnant yet strangely that's what makes her more interesting and it makes you want to know so much more about her and her past. I also think Mena Suvari was Oscar worthy but then again, you can't have everything. Originally American Beauty was written by Alan Ball as a play and in the film, there are traits of play like material. But I personally think it's better off as just a film on it's own. The wordplay is brilliant, the story is very well constructed and the satire that Ball creates on 1990's suburbia is very well executed.From a technical point of view, American Beauty is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. The sound design and the editing is great, the visuals are neat, the music score by Thomas Newman breathes new depths into modern film score, but above all the cinematography by Conrad L. Hall is the best technical part of the film. It's not only the shots and movements of the camera that are great but there is certain magnificence to the colour that Hall uses on the houses and on the outside shots. If there is one thing I admire above all both technically and non-technically then it would be the direction by Sam Mendes. Originally a West End Theatre Director, Mendes was hired to do American Beauty after the Steven Spielberg saw his Broadway version of Cabaret. I can only imagine that going from being a theatre director to helming a film awards contender, must have been one of the most daunting experiences of anyone's life but Mendes did brilliantly. You can tell a well directed film when you see actors in complete control and when every shot and every scene looks exactly how it should in order to create a straightforward narrative/plot. For a debut, it is just incredible to see Mendes at work and he proves himself to be quite the chameleon allowing himself to brilliantly direct Theatre and Film. American Beauty is a brilliant, bold, magnificent take on life in the 1990's. It is compelling, darkly funny and the greatest film of all time.

I loved this film. Such good acting by all the players and full of wit and observation about the human condition. Sad too. The director fantastic.

this is my all time favorite movie, i love it. i must have watched it a million times, im so unhappy i missed it at the cinemas when it was first released (i was about 12 but what the heck) because the atmosphere when you watch it with other people who haven't seem it before is electric.First of all the writing, genius! every line seems to advance the characters and story, its brilliantly dark but funny in places and touching in others. Lester Burnham has some of the best, "Remember those posters that said, "Today is the first day of the rest of your life?" Well, that's true with every day except one: the day that you die." its just perfection.The story itself intertwines with subtle undertones building to a climactic finish, make to mistake this one can have no sequel.The casting is just, i'm lost for words, 'Kevin spacey' is just brilliant every other character couldn't be cast better, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari... it just works!!The music in the film really adds to it, from pieces written for the film like 'the plastic bag theme' the entire score is just beautyfull. The who giving 'the seeker' to stunning effect near the films climax works well too. the way the film was shot is great too, from the long sweeping shot of the suburbs at the begging and end of the film, to the softly lit home of the Burnhams.all in all a perfect movie! makes you stop and think about life, terminally clever and funny at every turn. 6 stars if i could. you HAVE to see this, it will make you fall in love with films all over again.