Review of American Beauty (1999) by Eero V — 12 Jan 2015

Sam Mendes is a very fine director, but his subsequent films have never managed to surpass American Beauty, which to me has to be the finest filmmaking debut of all time. On the first viewings, the film charms with its sharp and intelligent humor and terrific performances, but it is hard to grasp everything that is beneath the surface, because the film is so many things at the same time: an uproarious dark comedy about a man yearning after his teens, a profound examination of a family and marriage falling apart, a satirical take on American middle class life, and an earnest depiction of the relationships between children and their parents.

But at its heart it is a story about people whom life has driven to a dead end, and who desperately want to change. There are many ways of interpreting the meaning of the story, and though there are bits that drag on a bit or feel irrelevant (such as Wes Bentley's cheesy monologue about beauty), everything in the film has its purpose and place.

Kevin Spacey's performance is easily the best of his career and one of the best of its decade, his every expression is incredibly precise and creates a perfect mix of pathos, disgust and empathy. Anette Bening is equally brilliant, building a flawless portrait of a superficial and emotionally exhausted wife, and there are also excellent turns from Mena Suvari, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, and especially Chris Cooper, who truly should have received an Oscar nod for his tragic performance.

Mendes' direction is brilliant, delicate and elaborate, and there is not a single inaccuracy that are usually found in directorial debuts. Alan Ball's script is perfect in every bit of detail, and the score by Thomas Newman (who often just composes syrupy tripe) truly beautiful.

American Beauty is hysterically funny, imposingly intelligent and eventually profoundly moving; a miraculous achievement, and one of the most deserving Best Picture Oscar winners of all time.