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American Beauty
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American Beauty (1999) More at IMDbPro »

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American Beauty (1999) -- Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation for his daughter's attractive friend.

Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 5% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Sam Mendes
Writer (WGA):
Alan Ball (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for American Beauty on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
1 October 1999 (USA) more
Genre:
Drama more
Tagline:
... look closer
Plot:
Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation for his daughter's attractive friend. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won 5 Oscars. Another 83 wins & 74 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(346 articles)
Kate Winslet Is Just Hanging Around
 (From Popsugar. 8 July 2009, 1:30 PM, PDT)

Away We Go Review
 (From newsinfilm. 5 July 2009, 9:55 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
Beautiful... more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for strong sexuality, language, violence and drug content.
Runtime:
122 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS
Company:
DreamWorks SKG more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The tagline and important theme of the film - "...look closer" - can be seen in Lester's cubicle at work. It was simply something a set dresser had put in, and director Sam Mendes noticed it while editing and suggested it be used for the poster. more
Goofs:
Continuity: When Angela meets Lester for the second time (by the refrigerator) her head is touching the corner of the wall. In the reverse angle of Lester, her head is away from the wall (so the camera can see Lester). more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Jane Burnham: I need a father who's a role model, not some horny geek-boy who's gonna spray his shorts whenever I bring a girlfriend home from school. What a lame-o. Someone really should just put him out of his misery.
Ricky Fitts: Want me to kill him for you?
Jane Burnham: Yeah. Would you?
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Michael Phelps/Lil' Wayne (#34.1)" (2008) more

FAQ

Is this movie based on a novel?
How much sex, violence, and profanity are in this movie?
A Note Regarding Spoilers
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235 out of 291 people found the following comment useful:-
Beautiful..., 29 November 2003
10/10

Probably the best film of 1999. This dark comedy drama marks two fantastic feature film debuts with Alan Ball as writer and Sam Mendes as director (both winning oscars for their sterling efforts).

Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man on the brink of a mid-life crisis, who suddenly becomes obsessed with one of his teenage daughters friends played by Mena Suvari. His daughter (Thora Birch) is, as Lester tells us; "a typical teenager. Angry, insecure, confused...". And his wife Caroline (Annette Bening) has an obsession of her own, her public appearance.

Life starts off on a downer for the Burnhams and their new neighbours the Fitts despite their lives looking good from the outside.

As life begins to improve (with most of the main characters finding what they think is love or new relationships) it soon all comes crashing down in the climactic final day.

The writing is nothing short of brilliant and made even more amazing by knowing that it comes from a first time feature film screen writer Alan Ball (who had had years of prior experience writing TV sitcoms - not that you'd be able to guess from the tone of this film).

The directing is on a par with the writing and Sam Mendes manages to get some brilliant performances from the great cast, who are all faultless. No doubt Mendes' theatre directing past played a huge part in directing the actors so well.

Another person worthy of a mention is the late director of photography Conrad L. Hall, another one of the five oscar recipients for this film.

All the elements in this film gel perfectly together to make one superb masterpiece. Not one person, either cast or crew, steals this film or does anymore than anyone else to make this film what it is. Truly an ensemble effort. 10/10.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for American Beauty (1999)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Question about the end [Spoilers] kompiuter
question about ending being revealed in first scene cmar92
25 Favorite Films AfraidofVirginiaWoolf
Who does Angela play on Lester's stereo? pamela-helme
Was Carolyn planning to kill Lester? FrankieJG
Bening Deserved the Oscar! bmw2009
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