I've worked in the telecoms industry since leaving university 3 years ago. I am renown for having a...
I've worked in the telecoms industry since leaving university 3 years ago. I am renown for having an opinion on everything. I'm a big music fan and really should be working for rollingstone or NME - I'd bring a touch of class to the latter anyway. I...
Member since:06.02.2001
Reviews:29
With his first production for the silver screen director Sam Mendes has created a film that really does live up to it’s name – it’s a real beauty. It tells the story of Lester (Kevin Spacey), a man fed up with his mundane existence, his ‘stepford wife’ and his oh so grateful daughter for either of who he can do nothing right. From the moment the film starts and Lester announces that he only has one year to live, although he doesn’t know that yet, the film becomes instantly more intriguing than it first seems. It’s a classic black comedy about a man who doesn’t know what he wants from life but he knows it’s not what he’s got – and things will have to change.
In the beginning of course Lester doesn’t know his life is mundane, but he’s about to be awakened from this mundane slumber that is his life by a chance encounter with his daughters cheerleader friend, would be supermodel Mena Suvari. From that and subsequent meetings Lester is a changed man, he’s had enough and he’s going to tell people that, starting with his wife Carolyn (Annette Benning), she’s obnoxious, overbearing and treats Lester with utter contempt – she’s an estate agent.
Lester is transformed from being a carpet for everyone to walk over to a man who is in control, he buys a new car, starts to get in shape and acts like a teenager when around his daughters beautiful friend, which is painful viewing for anyone who has ever found themselves lost for words when speaking to someone you are attracted to.
There are several sub plots such as the relationship between Lester’s daughter and the new boy who live next door and his relationship with his brutal father.
Mendez fully deserved his Oscar for this is truly a wonderful account of the final year in the life of an unhappy man who takes his life back for a short time and enjoys the last few months of his time on Earth With a sure footed dialogue and Kubrick like cinematography I would feel happy recommending this film to most.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 2007 - Drama - Director: Mike Binder - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Jada Pinkett, Liv Tyler, Saffron Burrows, Donald Sutherland, Mike Binder
Production Year: 1998 - Drama - Director: Carl Franklyn, Carl Franklin - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Meryl Streep, William Hurt, Renee Zellweger, Tom Everett Scott, Nicky Katt, Lauren Graham
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more
a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Look closer at the most talked about film of the year. A funny, moving and shocking ... more
journey through life in suburban America.Look closer at fortysomething ad man Lester Burnham and his status-seeking wife, Carolyn, as their marriage and lives slowly un...
From its first gliding aerial shot of a generic suburban street,American Beautymoves with ... more
a mesmerising confidence and acuity epitomised by Kevin Spacey's calm narration. Spacey is Lester Burnham, a harried Everyman whose midlife awakening is the spine...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Marking the feature film directorial debut of award-winning theatre director Sam Mendes ... more
this funny moving and shocking journey through life in suburban America follows the trials and tribulations of Lester (Kevin Spacey) and Carolyn (Annette Bening) ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days