American Beauty

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2:53

American Beauty

R

Released Oct 1, 1999

2h 2m

Comedy

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

192 Reviews

93%

Popcornmeter

250,000+ Ratings

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a gainfully employed suburban husband and father. Fed up with his boring, stagnant existence, he quits his job and decides to reinvent himself as a pot-smoking, responsibility-shirking teenager. What follows is at once cynical, hysterical, and, eventually, tragically uplifting.

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Critics Consensus

Flawlessly cast and brimming with dark, acid wit, American Beauty is a smart, provocative high point of late '90s mainstream Hollywood film.

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Paul Clinton (CNN.com)

CNN.com

American Beauty is deeply disturbing, acerbically funny, brilliantly acted, breathtakingly original and highly sophisticated.

Feb 22, 2015

Full Review

Ann Hornaday

Baltimore Sun

A tightly coiled rage seethes beneath the pretty surface of American Beauty, a wickedly funny black comedy directed by newcomer Sam Mendes.

Rated: 4/4

Feb 22, 2015

Full Review

Jeff Strickler

Minneapolis Star Tribune

This is Spacey's best performance since he took home an Oscar for The Usual Suspects.

Feb 22, 2015

Full Review

Mark Johnson

Awards Daily

With its clever and thought-provoking exploration of middle-class life, American Beauty continues to ignite conversations and debates, setting it apart from many other films

Jun 14, 2023

Full Review

Joanna Connors

Cleveland Plain Dealer

[It's] a movie that years from now will end up on the lists of greatest movies ever made. It's a complete original, at once hugely entertaining and deeply thoughtful, combining comedy, tragedy and philosophy in surprising and gratifying ways.

Feb 4, 2022

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

It's a love story, a tale of redemption, a drama of unraveling lifestyles and psychological corrosion, and a poetic tragedy, all wrapped up together.

Rated: 10/10

Sep 9, 2020

Full Review

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Beverleypops S

In my top 30 all time favourite movies Dark, wickedly dark Kevin’s spacey and Annette Bening were triumphant, in this film that kinda reminds me of another film about a sparring couple, the war of the roses. Drama, wit, sex, and murder What else do you want? 10/10

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/20/24

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Jon G

A classic movie on a dysfunctional family.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/14/24

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Isa B

American Beauty is on a shortlist of the greatest films ever made. An exceptionally well written screenplay brought to life by an exceptionally talented cast. We are privileged to see such a beautiful piece of art in our lifetime. Be grateful and watch this film. 100/100 🏆

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/29/24

Full Review

Zahara B

Brilliant, dark, thoughtful and well crafted.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/25/24

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mark g

Having watched it when it came out and watching it twenty years later gives me two different options. When I saw it in the theater I was mesmerized. I thought everything was great, the acting, the comedy, the stylish choreography. I thought it was a revolutionary film and worthy of all the awards. Watching it twenty years later and my opinion might not be as strong. I still believe Mena Suvari was absolutely amazing, really stealing the film. The camera work and choreography, still incredible and captivating. However, I do find the story not nearly as clever as I thought it was back then. Still bold, as this subject matter could not be presented today, no way. I also find Benning's performance over the top, Spacey's as well. It's still an impactful film and worthy of examination, just maybe not quite as godly as I originally thought.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/22/24

Full Review

Fabrícia F

Esse é o reflexo da sociedade no fim do século vinte, os desafios e frustrações da juventude, falta de perspectiva do homem na vida adulta, esse filme é um clássico moderno sobre o fim da ilusão, quebra de expectativas e ressignificação da vida.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/22/24

Full Review

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Sam Mendes

Director

Kevin Spacey

Lester Burnham

Annette Bening

Carolyn Burnham

Thora Birch

Jane Burnham

Wes Bentley

Ricky Fitts

Mena Suvari

Angela Hayes

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American Beauty: Trailer 1

2:53

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Synopsis

Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) is a gainfully employed suburban husband and father. Fed up with his boring, stagnant existence, he quits his job and decides to reinvent himself as a pot-smoking, responsibility-shirking teenager. What follows is at once cynical, hysterical, and, eventually, tragically uplifting.

Director: Sam Mendes
Producer: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Screenwriter: Alan Ball
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
Production Co: DreamWorks Pictures, Jinks/Cohen Company
Rating: R (Language|Drug Content|Strong Sexuality|Violence)
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 1, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $130.1M
Runtime: 2h 2m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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