Review of American Beauty (1999) by Zach M — 08 Mar 2013

Starring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening, American Beauty was released on September 17th, 1999 as the directorial debut of Sam Mendes.

American Beauty is an honest depiction of what living in suburban America is like. The actors portraying static characters made it abundantly clear why they hate life as you follow their daily routine. The variety of internal conflicts in this ensemble cast allows the film to be easily accessible to a mass audience.

Director, Sam Mendes, is not afraid to challenge traditional film making; many scenes enter dream like states perfectly describing the conflict within a character by providing and inside look at their psyche. It solidifies itself into a genre of its own; every scene adds another layer of complexity and tension to the plot that is unraveling.

Camera shots linger and the wordless expressions that the cast brings are so descriptive in telling the audience of who they are and what they want, that all of their motivations in the film are so easily understood and relatable.

Another standout was the dialogue, writer Allan Ball, made the exchange between these characters form a perfect fusion between comedy and drama. It at times feels like a 90's sitcom, but what makes American Beauty special is how it takes the audience's previous conceptions about the genre and changes it. Ball knows his characters inside and out, and the conclusion to this film is highly indicative of that fact. The end wasn't planned; the ending was simply a byproduct of how these characters would in fact interact if they were materialized in our world. In other words, the characters led the plot and not the other way around.

Near the end of the film two philosophies of living in the present and living in fear prevail. I was taken back at how well orchestrated this film was from its first frame to last; themes were being argued for from the moment Spacey's voice over began the movie. It's this clever writing added with Mendes's direction that puts American Beauty well above any other movies in this genre.

Minor complaints of the film would be regarding Angela Hayes' (Mena Suvari) acting. She was playing a static character but contrary to other actors didn't seem to possess any particular depth. This was obvious near the end of the film when the climax to her arc happened just as I thought it would; it was such a stark contrast to the philosophy of the film, of always keep the audience guessing.

The tone of the film is unique and viewers must be warned that it can be jarring. This movie has evolved from a tried genre and creates such a unique tone throughout that it is a well-deserved classic.

With its award winning performances, direction, and writing, American Beauty should not be missed.

Written by ZACH MORRISSEY.

What the Other Guys Thought...

AUSTIN- 4.5/5 stars.

A film like this is has the unique ability to be watched in several different ways. American Beauty is filled with so much richness that more than one viewing is encouraged as well as a talk with others who have seen it. The excellent choices in casting, direction, acting, and writing make this film an fantastic watch.