American Beauty (DVD) > Reviews

Advantages: Storyline, Cast and Direction
Disadvantages: None

American Beauty was one of those movies that I never got round to seeing at the cinema. I recently saw it on DVD and was mightily impressed. I had not really spent too much time looking into what it was about so it came as a very pleasant suprise. Briefly the story is set in modern day America and centres around family in crisis, Kevin Spacey plays the middle-aged father (Lester Burnham) who lusts after his teenage daughter's best friend (Angela) ... Read review

Advantages: brilliant performances and dialogue
Disadvantages: it's too short!

This film certainly had a lot of hype to live up to. Not being able to catch it at the cinema, I waited patiently to rent it, and finally I got round to it, and I was certainly glad I did. I wasn't entirely sure what the film was about, when I rented it, apart from some guy(Kevin Spacey) having a mid life crisis. Which is true. But there are other elements, his daughter(your average, insecure, angry teenager) has a friend who thinks her dad is ... Read review

Advantages: the message, the filming, the acting and storyline
Disadvantages: nothing

American Beauty is the story of a typical suburban family living in America, in what is seen as the 'happy normal family life'. This illusion is shattered when Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey) decides to change his life, upon seeing his daughter’s friend Angela. Lester's 'mid life crisis' results in dramatic changes to the whole household. Upon seeing Angela Lester's life changes, he begins to feel like a man again, shown by his new obsession with ... Read review

Advantages: good time catch up on your sleep
Disadvantages: everything

A friend of mine and myself when to the cinema to see this film and what a let down it was. The more I watched, the more I felt tired.. what a bore, no action, no story, and no nothing, I even had to ask my friend "what is this about" even she didnt't know. All I could see was a middle aged man how had the hots for his daughters friend and was having problems with his wife and his own mind. I was a complete waste of time and money. In my opinion stay ... Read review

Advantages:
Disadvantages:

American beauty promised much with media hype around Oscar’s time and the eventual nomination for 54 academy awards. (Well it may as well have been). The film itself was a surreal look at American family life and through the fantastic performances of Kevin Spacey and Annette Benning. A shockingly narrow plot sits at the bottom of the pan and fails to thicken at all. The catch phrase should have been “Its good but not that good. Yes it was enjoyable, ... Read review

Advantages: Kevin Spacey, what will he do next, oh, and rose petals.
Disadvantages: None. And I really do mean that.

...not prone to believing every American citizen cliche in the proverbial book, then this, I assure you, is a film for you. Mid-Life crisis, psychotically restrictive fathers habouring severe sexuality insecurities and, well, asparagus. So typically British, yes? Well, not if newcomer Sam Mendes has anything to do with it. This beautifully shot snapshot of suburban serenity (or not) follows the life of the real American family; not all glitz and ... Read review

Advantages: good story & acting
Disadvantages: quite a strange & sad film (a disadvantage to some)

...probably means more to an American audience as it deals with American values & the American dream life (& that it’s not everything it’s thought to be). It also shows that the images that people project are not really the people they are. Annette Benning is excellent as Spacey’s power-driven wife who is increasingly angered by the changes in her husband. It is a sad film in a way though a happy ending would have spoilt it totally and I don’t think ... Read review

Advantages: n/a
Disadvantages: n/a

Before I say anything about this film, one thing I will say is you should at least rent this movie even if you think it’s not the sort of movie for you. I thought just that, but was infact very impressed with the movie. So what’s this film about? Well, I’ll tell you, but I will only tell you the outline otherwise I’ll be giving the film away! Lester is married to Caroline. They have one teenage daughter (about 18 yr’s ... Read review

Advantages: good
Disadvantages: none

American Beauty is a powerful commentary about finding the joy in life and remembering what is really important. The film tells the story about Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a 42-year-old man who announces to the audience at the outset that he has less than a year to live. He goes to his daughter Jane's (Thora Birch) cheerleading debut and he then notices her friend Angela (Mena Suvari) and everything changes for him. Lester's erotic fixation ... Read review

Advantages: plot, performances, the intention
Disadvantages: there is none

...well-behaved 42-year-old dreg of an American dad until he spots his teenaged daughter's girl friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari) whose beauty transforms him. Part of the fun of this very funny and enjoyable movie is watching Lester break out of his self-imposed shell and blossom with the rose petals as he tells everybody what he really thinks as though he had nothing to lose. His daughter Jane is a brooding raven-haired beauty who likes to put on ... Read review

Advantages: Now out on video, and features softcore nudity.
Disadvantages: Not long enough.

What can I say? This movie has left me feeling so good. I must have only seen it about half an hour ago, but I had to come and review it because that is how good it is. Featuring Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening as a couple whose marriage is falling apart. Lester Burnham (Spacey) is this forty something guy who decides to make a few changes with his life, such as smoking dope, buying a Firebird car, and sleeping with his daughter's friend. Very ... Read review

Advantages:
Disadvantages: Leaves the viewer numb, feeling no positive emotion.

After watching American Beauty I left the cinema feeling lifeless. The movie did not inspire any particular emotion in me, but it actually removed good feelings from inside me. I did not enjoy this movie at all. It may be a "real" look at what has become of the "American Dream" - but frankly, I don't need to see it. There were characters, such as the gay neighbours, who featured so little in the movie that I have to wonder why they were brought ... Read review