American Beauty (DVD)

Amazingly, this was british director Sam Mendes' first hollywood film. And what a debut. Beginner's luck? It's the most moving and incredible film i've ever seen. Set in suburbian america in the present day, it follows the lives of a series of characters as they go through huge changes in their lives. A very difficult plot to describe, it basically centers around Lester Burnham (the amazing Kevin Spacey) and his affections for his teenage daughter's ...
...that every character is so well developed you feel an amazing level of sympathy and empathy for each one. Trapped in prisons of their own creation, they all begin to break out in very different ways. Lester adopts an attitude quite apart from his usual doormat persona, and begins smoking drugs and working out in his garage. There are some amazingly funny bits that i won't spoil, but on the whole this film is moving and though provoking. I was still ...

evilswan 12.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

"American Beauty" is a totally unforgettable movie. It rightfully won 5 Oscars and 6 Baftas, including Best Picture in each. I was not too enthusiastic about seeing it, but I was dragged kicking and screaming into the cinema; and they had to drag me kicking and screaming out of it because I wanted to stay and watch it again. I knew that I had to get it as soon as it came out on DVD because I loved it so much. It tells the story of Lester Burnham, ...
...Ice Queen of a wife, Carolyn (Annette Benning) and his daughter, Jane. Lester goes through something of an awakening as to how his life has progressed and takes his life back into his own hands. The plot is hysterically funny, disturbingly dark and heartbreaking sad, and it is this shift in mood from one moment to the next that makes this film the masterpiece it is. It is hard to write anything that does justice to this gorgeous piece of cinematic ...

minxette 03.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

I didn't want to see this, the subject matter 'man having a mid-life crisis' didn't appeal to be particularly!!!! Ultimately I was swayed by the fact that I had missed House on Haunted Hill and the only other options were George Clooney ( nice face - lousy actor) in The Three Kings and The Green Mile ( films of Stephen King's books are usually dire - though I am a fan of the books!!!). This film has deservedly been nominated for every award in the ...
...moving, i.e. slow (!!), look at the lives of a dysfunctional suburban family. The characters are very absorbing and the ending is great - even I had a tear in my eye ( and for those that know me well that's no mean feat!!!) Although this isn't the kind of film I usually like it's refreshingly classy and I'd recommend it to anyone faced with the same options I had!!!! ...

catatonic 03.07.2000 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

...is a film about the american way of life "living in the beautiful house and having a beautiful wife and kids. The film is set in suburban America and is one of the wittiest, moving, sad and funny films I have ever seen. The central characters of the movie are Lester Burnham (played by the brilliant Kevin Spacey), his wife Carolyn Burnham (played by Annette Bening), and daughter Jane Burnham (Thora Birch). The family are all embroiled in their own ...
...his life, doesn't like his job, doesn't have sex with his wife and doesn't know what is going on with his daughter. The highlight of his day is masturbation, and when his wife catches him she is shocked and not in the least bit turned on by what he is doing. Carolyn (Lester's wife) is driven by ambition. She is a high powered estate agent and is more worried about getting her next sale, her next status symbol car or satin sofa than what is going ...

TRACEYGALLAGHER68 28.03.2007 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American Beauty is an excellent film! The story line is intense and keeps you hangin off the edge of your seat!! I thought the acting in it was also of a very high standard and especially Kevin Spacey who played a very different part to what he usually plays and plays it very well. I especially liked the boy who played the next door neighbour because he came across as a bit strange, but he was just intrigued by the young girl. However I don't think ...
...the film - bare breasts etc. Mind you this isn't unpredictable in any sort of film because women's breasts seem to be the centre of entertainment in most films!!! Never mind gals, if you've got it, flaunt it, that's what I say!!!!! I was surprised by the ending as it was very graphic and bloody, after Kevin Spacey had been shot in the head. ...

nomi 10.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

...one but with different characters. American Beauty is different, in a vewy good way. The plot follows a man who lives the 'American Dream' lifestyle; doting wife, darling daughter, two cars and a nice house in the suburbs. Sounds nice, no? Well, not really. Thing is, he's bored of living in the suburbs, his wife is a control freak who takes her mantra a little too seriously, and her daughter is a moody bint with a bimbo best friend (who is actually ...
...so he sets out to bed her. Meanwhile, his wife is having an affair with a bloke with very large eyebrows, and moody bint daughter is humping the boy next door, who has a fetish for video cameras. And that's all in the first 20 minutes. None of the actors are well known for being in anything (although camera fetish guy looks strikingly like Kelly Jones from the 'Phonics), but they are all excellent in this film. You dont have to be a star to be ...

simonpear2000 25.06.2000 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

Sam Mendes's debut film follows that familiar topic of examining a 'normal' family that hits a crisis. Kevin Spacey plays a middle aged dad who see's his daughter's best friend as the all-American beauty and becomes infatuated with her. His wife (Annette Bening) also has an affair and their teenage daughter is firmly enacting the hollywood teenage-daughter-rebeling routine. So, we're all agreed that this is a film that's been done to death before ...
...best film I've seen this year. It is a satirical film and has the necessary light-hearted and downright comic moments to ensure it's a box-office smash but it also has the guts to look at *why* the characters behave as they do. We learn from early on that Spacey's character is disillusioned with his life, his work and his marriage. We are introduced to a wife who has become materialistic and now can only maintain a facade of a happy life. If, having ...

Izzy 30.06.2000 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

Having heard all of the hype about this film and how fantastic it was, I finally gave into the pressure and went to the Showcase at Birstall, Leed, to see it. After half an hour which felt like an eternity, I knew that I'd made a mistake and I wished I could leave. I was with 4 other people so I had to stay, and part way through the film I must have nodded off. The chairs in the Showcase are very comfortable. I have never fallen asleep in a film ...
...and general interest that the film generated. Funnily enough of the 5 who went to see it, 3 were raving about it and 2 couldn't see what the fuss was about. Basically it centres on a man who has a mid life crisis and fantasises about his daughter's best friend. Unfortunaltely, his daughter's best friend is a teenager and he is 40. He takes up working out as a way to improve his physique. Not an impressive film, and too long.I just felt like it ...

suecowsill 05.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

...cliches of America. A typical American school with the most beautiful and popular girl- a neat blonde who, for sure, is a football team cheer-leader. The other one- invisible and ugly, completely unpopular, but «smart». Business of real estate with great balls. Problem of a «little fish in a big pond». Masturbation jokes. The homophoby which is so much discussed. A drug dealer. Lots and lots of examples. This is America. With all this, we see ...
...small worker blackmails his president and smokes joints with his drug dealing neighbor. He is in a riot against himself and the life he is living. Kevin Spacey is so true in his acting like a real jerk, that we almost start to detest him. And here comes the Beauty. You can see it thanks to Sam Mendez... filming the girl next door and watching her in a slow motion. Seeing red roses (this is where actually the title comes from- from a rose name) ...

greensleeves 19.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

This film is an all time great, with kevin spacey on top form. If you've not seen this already then your missing out ...

its_ashy 10.12.2007
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

American beauty, a film which won many Oscars as I believe, and has a catch piano track playing through, which jakata sampled and used in the dance track American dream. A great film although it is not as good as everyone makes it out to be, its fabulously close to real life, well, someone’s life at least, Kevin spacey is great, but he would have done it with the kid in real life, the only reason he didn’t in the film is because of the ...

sayman 17.07.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

...extremely disturbing analysis of the American dream gone horrible wrong. In some places it is incredibly funny. The cast generally superb and I can only assume that the inclusion of Peter Gallagher with a small role is a deliberate homage to this drawing distinct comparisons to another of his films, Sex Lies and Videotape. It is almost essential that this movie is watched more than once otherwise there is serious risk of missing the point. After ...
...do you will be rewarded. The DVD has a few extras but as with most DVD’s most of them appear to be short clips picked from existing TV shows and are not particularly interesting. The behind the scenes featurette is one of the most boring I have seen on the DVD and offers little extra insight into the film. I recommend that you spend your time reading the sleeve insert by Sam Mendes instead, it's much more interesting. The DVD's quality appears ...

michaelcrook 14.01.2001 (15.01.2001) · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

This film is a must see for everyone and anyone. You have to choose the people you watch it with carefully though as a room full of mates is a no no. The film needs to be watched carefully as all movements and dialogue are important. It is a deep film that is thought provoking and humorous. It is about a Middle aged man who is married with one daughter. Everyday he gets up goes to work, comes home eats a perfectly balanced meal whilst listening ...
...and when he goes to watch his daughter cheerlead one night he sees her best friend a slim, blonde, and long legged schoolgirl. He immediately falls for her and to his dislike every time he tries to fantasies about her he sees her covered on rose petals. To his amazement he over hears his daughter and this blonde girl discussing him, the girl he so wants thinks he is cute and shed sleep with him any day if he worked out a little. He suddenly realizes ...

Muffin 05.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

I recently got American Beauty on video and i hadnt heard of it much before, im so glad my mam bought me this as its a great film and in some parts is very funny. At first i thought oh this is going to be so exciting, not! But i thought i might as well just see what its about and im pleased i did now, although i got a little bit confused near the end but after watching it a couple of times i realised what it was about. i would recommend this to anyone ...
...you need to pay close attention because if you lose the plot then you have no chance in understanding what is going on. Alos the them song from it is really good, check it out even if you dont see the video its called American Dream and its by Jakarta. ...

carly_2001 22.02.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)

I went to the cinema expecting this to be another boring comedy...however, I was pleasantly surprised at what an interesting and thought-provoking drama it actually is. "American Beauty" is not the laugh-out-loud comedy or the sad-to-the-bone drama you may expect...like I thought it was going to be. It is a very thoughtful and artsy movie that combines many elements to create a rather unique and personal movie experience. Blending comedy, drama, ...

mattrevill 11.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of American Beauty (DVD)