Review of American Beauty (1999) by Jack C — 12 Mar 2013

A fascinating debut film from Sam Mendes. For me, it's several things; a powerful drama, a satire of the materialistic nature of middle-class suburban America, hell I even thought of it as an engaging murder mystery.

Fantastic performances from a wonderful ensemble cast (Spacey in particular excelling), with a mixture of sharp, witty dialogue and quieter, more emotional moments giving the film a set of intriguing characters within its compelling story, which examines these oppressed characters, and the struggles they face due to their supposed 'need' to conform (a theme often explored during the late-90s, e.

G. Fight Club). Accompanied by some striking visuals, a powerful score and gorgeous cinematography, American Beauty is a really great film, one that I would thoroughly recommend.