American Beauty, probably not the best choice to write a first blog review about because I don't know exactly what to think of this film other than "wow", but hey I like the idea of starting off with a challenge.
Sam Mendes is really the star here, the maturity of this this movie surpasses that of any previous directorial debt that I'm familiar with. His other films that I happened to see before this include the gangster flick Road to Perdition and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, both are exceptional, but Beauty by far exceeds his later work.
The movie is neither a comedy or a drama but rather a unique combination of the two and the result is something brilliant, almost as though we've seen it before but it's presented in a whole new way. Everything works so well together in this movie, the directing, the writing, and maybe most notably, the acting.
Kevin Spacey delivers a simple yet complex performance as Lester Burnham, a family man who is tired of being ignored by everyone and decides its time for some radical changes in his life. His wife, Carolyn (Annette Betting), is a real estate agent who is bent on success despite being in a broken marriage in which she obviously wears the pants, at least in the beginning of the movie. They have a self conscious teenage daughter, Jane, who has a "hot" best friend, Angela, who Lester can't help but fantasize about often.
A new family moves in next door. Their son has an obsession with video tapping and with Jane, he also sells weed to Lester and has to hide his life from his former marine father. The story is centered on Lester and the decisions he makes about changing his life and the effects it has on the rest of the cast. The Burnham family has had tension building up for years as a result of not showing emotion with each other and when Lester realizes it's time for change, the inevitable family implosion and breakdown occurs.
All the character are purposely based off relate able stereotypes but are brought to believable life by the outstanding cast. I've never witnessed a movie in which I felt so disgusted by the characters but couldn't help but love them at the same time.
American Beauty is a marvel in modern cinema and directly deals with serious issues that occur in neighborhoods and families across the fifty states. It's an important film, however, it's not meant to be viewed for mindless entertainment, although it is very entertaining. A powerful, dark comedy and tragedy.
Sam Mendes is really the star here, the maturity of this this movie surpasses that of any previous directorial debt that I'm familiar with. His other films that I happened to see before this include the gangster flick Road to Perdition and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, both are exceptional, but Beauty by far exceeds his later work.
The movie is neither a comedy or a drama but rather a unique combination of the two and the result is something brilliant, almost as though we've seen it before but it's presented in a whole new way. Everything works so well together in this movie, the directing, the writing, and maybe most notably, the acting.
Kevin Spacey delivers a simple yet complex performance as Lester Burnham, a family man who is tired of being ignored by everyone and decides its time for some radical changes in his life. His wife, Carolyn (Annette Betting), is a real estate agent who is bent on success despite being in a broken marriage in which she obviously wears the pants, at least in the beginning of the movie. They have a self conscious teenage daughter, Jane, who has a "hot" best friend, Angela, who Lester can't help but fantasize about often.
A new family moves in next door. Their son has an obsession with video tapping and with Jane, he also sells weed to Lester and has to hide his life from his former marine father. The story is centered on Lester and the decisions he makes about changing his life and the effects it has on the rest of the cast. The Burnham family has had tension building up for years as a result of not showing emotion with each other and when Lester realizes it's time for change, the inevitable family implosion and breakdown occurs.
All the character are purposely based off relate able stereotypes but are brought to believable life by the outstanding cast. I've never witnessed a movie in which I felt so disgusted by the characters but couldn't help but love them at the same time.
American Beauty is a marvel in modern cinema and directly deals with serious issues that occur in neighborhoods and families across the fifty states. It's an important film, however, it's not meant to be viewed for mindless entertainment, although it is very entertaining. A powerful, dark comedy and tragedy.
American Beauty: ****1/2 (out of 5)
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