American Beauty

A unique film that stands on absolutely stunning performances, but also on a great script and excellent direction. Kevin Spacey guides you through small-town life, and its veneer peels off like a band-aid, revealing the tissue underneath rotting away. And yet, it's still entertaining and emotional, and you'll be on the edge of your seat. And then there's Mena... (04/04/2016)

On a first viewing, it is an original film experience that delivers a probe into the American middle class presented in an unconventional and unique way. However, I believe that with each subsequent viewing, the viewer's satisfaction is slightly undermined, and the resulting product seems weaker and weaker. Sam Mendes has a sensitive and diligent direction, emphasizing details, and the screenplay is excellently developed, especially when it comes to the characters. Nevertheless, the whole thing seems too polished and meticulously arranged to me. It's as if with this film, Mendes wanted to say “I am a true artist, look at me.” (13/11/2005)

When I see all the reviews, I feel like I'm going against the grain. American Beauty didn’t impress me much (Sam Mendes has certainly done better work). I don’t know why, but all the characters seemed extremely caricatured to me. Their different personality traits were pushed to the absolute extreme, making it feel unrealistic (especially the whole suburban family). I don’t want to undermine the effort of everyone involved. Especially Kevin Spacey (who seemed more realistically portrayed compared to the others) clearly enjoyed his role, and at its best moments, it reminded me of Falling Down with Douglas (forget societal conventions... just do whatever comes to mind). From a filmmaking perspective, I have no complaints; Mendes knows his craft, but as I said, those characters... Otherwise, the ending was absolutely perfect, and it pushed the film to a 4-star rating. For me, it gets a 7/10. (24/07/2023)

The film that made Steven Spielberg cry. Mendes's sure-footed, inventive direction, a clever screenplay beating mercilessly at the hypocritical morals and warped relationships of the average American family, and phenomenal performances, including the supporting roles (the excellent Chris Cooper!!) made this unassuming film a well-deserved cinematic event of the year. The emotional ending only underscores the extraordinary and profound experience. When my friend and I walked home from the cinema, we hardly spoke a word, how deeply we were moved. MUST SEE! (03/09/2002)

American Beauty became a huge hit when it came out in the United States, captivating both audiences and critics alike. It is considered by many to be the best American film of the 90s. Despite being Sam Mendes' first major film, it is surprisingly mature, skillfully crafted, and showcases his theater experience and talent for casting and directing actors. On the other hand, I never had the feeling that I was watching a great film. I got the impression that it was gliding on the surface, without going deep into the roots of behavior or showing the causes of events. Instead, it creates somewhat stereotypical caricatures instead of fully developed characters. It doesn't present any solutions, and all the characters behave conventionally, with their rebellion being completely harmless and stemming from morally debatable positions. Despite all this, it is still one of the significantly better films created in the 90s, and it is worth seeing. Overall impression: 80%. (02/07/2007)