American Beauty

Name: American Beauty
Genre: Drama
Released: September 15, 1999
Duration: 122 min
Rating: 84
Cast: Annette Bening, Kevin Spacey

1999

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Universal acclaim based on 34 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 1198 Ratings

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8.8

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8.8	User Score Universal acclaim based on 1198 Ratings

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American Beauty

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Movie Details & Credits

DreamWorks Distribution | Release Date: September 15, 1999 | R

Starring: Annette Bening, Kevin Spacey

Summary: Provoked by forbidden passions, Lester Burnham (Spacey) decides to make a few changes in his rut of a life, changes that are less midlife crisis than adolescence reborn. The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife, Carolyn (Bening), and daughter Jane (Birch) --especially when he turns his lustful gazeProvoked by forbidden passions, Lester Burnham (Spacey) decides to make a few changes in his rut of a life, changes that are less midlife crisis than adolescence reborn. The freer he gets, the happier he gets, which is even more maddening to his wife, Carolyn (Bening), and daughter Jane (Birch) --especially when he turns his lustful gaze toward Jane's friend, the sultry Angela (Suvari). (Dreamworks SKG)… Expand

Director: Sam Mendes

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: R

Runtime: 122 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Rod Dreher

A flat-out masterpiece, surely the best movie of the year; indeed, an all-time classic.

100

Jay Carr

Spacey is diamond-brilliant in a role that plays as if custom-made for him. Read full review

100

Roger Ebert

Spacey, an actor who embodies intelligence in his eyes and voice, is the right choice for Lester Burnham. Read full review

Marc Savlov

A brilliant, exhilarating piece of filmmaking. It may even be the best mainstream film of the year thus far. Read full review

Shawn Levy

Though excellent in many ways, American Beauty is, finally, an uneasy mix of assured technique and simplistic satire.

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Black comedy of the deepest, richest darkness laid over an aching meditation on the atrophy of dreams. Read full review

Josh Larsen

The deeper American Beauty tries to get, the shallower it reveals itself to be. Read full review

SEE ALL 34 REVIEWS

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User Reviews

SusanN.

Jul 27, 2008

A film I could watch over and over and never get tired of. A film to see before you die.

7 of 8 users found this helpful

DogeGamer2015

Sep 20, 2020

Tiene una buena historia y excelentes interpretaciones de un buen reparto de actores.
¡TOTALMENTE RECOMENDADA!

2 of 7 users found this helpful25

SB.

Apr 22, 2007

American Beauty is my favourite film of all time, followed by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Mulhholand Drive. It is a near perfect movie. It's use of "cliche" is very deliberate. Each scene is flawlessly connected with the underlying theme, symbolized in red. If you American Beauty is my favourite film of all time, followed by Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Mulhholand Drive. It is a near perfect movie. It's use of "cliche" is very deliberate. Each scene is flawlessly connected with the underlying theme, symbolized in red. If you don't understand what I am talking about, you need to rewatch the movie. Then Alan Ball gives us Six Feet Under - Genius.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful

imilhofer

Dec 23, 2013

Is this the best film of the 90s? Quite possibly, as no other confuses and delights more than American Beauty. The subtle complexity of its original and brilliant screenplay, coupled with its sensitively fabricated representation makes for an outlook-altering experience. It doesn't matterIs this the best film of the 90s? Quite possibly, as no other confuses and delights more than American Beauty. The subtle complexity of its original and brilliant screenplay, coupled with its sensitively fabricated representation makes for an outlook-altering experience. It doesn't matter how many times I watch American Beauty, I sense a new meaning each time and am never confident that I know what the film means or what it is trying to say. Of course, the enigmatic and darkly beautiful nature of the film is helped along by subtle, honest and terrific performances from Spacey and Bening, a mesmerising score and stunning direction, but underpinning this all is a witty, dark, optimistic, pessimistic, original and overwhelming screenplay that gives this film too many dimensions to wave matching gardening clogs at.… Expand

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

clem666

May 2, 2021

Amazing movie. Great soundtrack, terrific acting, inspired plot, pleasant pace and rhythm. The characters are perfectly presented and linked to each other, which allows us to feel a certain empathy for each of them.

Originally released in 1999 'American Beauty' still shines by theAmazing movie. Great soundtrack, terrific acting, inspired plot, pleasant pace and rhythm. The characters are perfectly presented and linked to each other, which allows us to feel a certain empathy for each of them.

Originally released in 1999 'American Beauty' still shines by the topicality of the subjects it deals with. If it could have been called 'Beauty' only because it presents how human can evolve and elevate through time, it also has the decency and the presence of mind of adding the adjective 'American' to clearly insert itself in a socio-cultural tendency. The story shows multiple characters living in the 21st century in America with all its madness, its purity and fantasies. They all have to take a stand in order to be someone else rather than a poor stereotype or cliché. If in appearance people may seem almost normal we can always choose to live our lives in the way we want to. And when we choose to (re)take control of it the people around us may notice it. And react to it.

Some of the artistic choices may seem incomprehensible, such as the presence of rose petals here and there, which may give the impression that "American Beauty" is superficial or poorly thought out, but I think it brings a kind of lightness to the plot. I found myself disappointed by the end but I think it is the point: you can make effort to live closer than what you want but in the end reality always strikes back.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

FranzHcritic

Jun 28, 2014

'American Beauty' is a caricature of suburbia, depicting how the picture of what is a normal family is just a facade, just some idealistic opportunism that breaks the line of fantasy. The elements of this, added with the writing, direction, acting, and cinematography especially, 'American'American Beauty' is a caricature of suburbia, depicting how the picture of what is a normal family is just a facade, just some idealistic opportunism that breaks the line of fantasy. The elements of this, added with the writing, direction, acting, and cinematography especially, 'American Beauty' sums up to be one roller coaster of several conflicting emotions.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

chrisl

Jun 5, 2009

A really awful overblown and pompous film with very poor directing extremely awkward dialogue, and terrible acting. Kevin Spacey in particular was really tight and bland in his role.

1 of 7 users found this helpful

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11	#11 Best Movie of 1999
5	#5 Most Discussed Movie of 1999
14	#14 Most Shared Movie of 1999