American Beauty (1999)

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writer (WGA):

Alan Ball (written by)

Release Date:

1 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

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.

Plot Keywords:

Infatuation | Friendship | Fast Food Restaurant | Drugs | Depression

Awards:

Won 5 Oscars. Another 89 wins & 74 nominations

Cast

Kevin Spacey	...	Lester Burnham
Annette Bening	...	Carolyn Burnham
Thora Birch	...	Jane Burnham
Wes Bentley	...	Ricky Fitts
Mena Suvari	...	Angela Hayes
Chris Cooper	...	Col. Frank Fitts, USMC
Peter Gallagher	...	Buddy Kane
Allison Janney	...	Barbara Fitts
Scott Bakula	...	Jim Olmeyer
Sam Robards	...	Jim Berkley
Barry Del Sherman	...	Brad Dupree
Ara Celi	...	Sale House Woman #1
John Cho	...	Sale House Man #1
Fort Atkinson	...	Sale House Man #2
Sue Casey	...	Sale House Woman #2
Kent Faulcon	...	Sale House Man #3
Brenda Wehle	...	Sale House Woman #4
Lisa Cloud	...	Sale House Woman #5
Alison Faulk	...	Spartanette #1
Krista Goodsitt	...	Spartanette #2
Lily Houtkin	...	Spartanette #3
Carolina Lancaster	...	Spartanette #4
Mona Leah	...	Spartanette #5 (as Ramona Leah)
Chekesha Van Putten	...	Spartanette #6 (as Chekesa Van Putten)
Emily Zachary	...	Spartanette #7
Nancy Anderson	...	Spartanette #8
Reshma Gajjar	...	Spartanette #9
Stephanie Rizzo	...	Spartanette #10
Heather Joy Sher	...	Playground Girl #1
Chelsea Hertford	...	Playground Girl #2
Amber Smith	...	Christy Kane
Joel McCrary	...	Catering Boss
Marissa Jaret Winokur	...	Mr. Smiley's Counter Girl
Dennis Anderson	...	Mr. Smiley's Manager
Matthew Kimbrough	...	Firing Range Attendant
Erin Cathryn Strubbe	...	Young Jane Burnham
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Cohen	...	Bartender (uncredited)
Elaine Corral Kendall	...	Newscaster (uncredited)
David C. Fisher	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Tom Miller	...	Advertising Executive (uncredited)

Directed by
Sam Mendes

Writing credits (WGA)
Alan Ball		(written by)

Produced by
Alan Ball	....	co-producer
Bruce Cohen	....	producer
Dan Jinks	....	producer
Stan Wlodkowski	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Thomas Newman

Cinematography by
Conrad L. Hall

Film Editing by
Tariq Anwar
Christopher Greenbury

Casting by
Debra Zane

Production Design by
Naomi Shohan

Art Direction by
David Lazan		(as David S. Lazan)

Set Decoration by
Jan K. Bergstrom

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist: Ms. Bening
Patricia Dehaney-Le May	....	key hair stylist
Julie Hewett	....	makeup artist: Ms. Bening
Juliet Loveland	....	makeup artist: second unit
Tania McComas	....	key makeup artist
Carol A. O'Connell	....	key hair stylist
Cheri Ruff	....	hair stylist: second unit
Steven R. Soussanna	....	hair stylist: second unit (as Steve R. Soussana)
Christine M. Steele	....	makeup artist
Debra-Lee Davidson	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Buffy Zerefski	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Lisa Dennis Kennedy	....	post-production supervisor
Cristen Carr Strubbe	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tony Adler	....	first assistant director
Rosemary C. Cremona	....	second assistant director (as Rosemary Cremona)
Carey Dietrich	....	first assistant director
Chris Edmonds	....	first assistant director: second unit
Michelle Edmonds	....	second assistant director: second unit
Peter E. Hirsch	....	second assistant director
Stephanie Kime	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Brook Bacon	....	swing gang
Michael Casey	....	lead person (as Michael P. Casey)
Kevin Chambers	....	swing gang
Tony Chance	....	storyboard artist
Molly Click	....	art department coordinator
Andrea Dopaso	....	set designer
Rob Garlow	....	propmaker foreman (as Robert Garlow)
Jim Heritage	....	plasterer foreman
Mike Higelmire	....	lead person (as Michael Higelmire)
Tom Hrupcho	....	paint foreman
Richard W. Jones	....	greens foreman
Ian Kay	....	on-set dresser
Gary Kudroff	....	swing gang
Carolyn Lassek	....	on-set dresser
Lance Mancuso	....	construction first aid
Joe Ondrejko	....	construction coordinator
Lisa Penaranda	....	set decoration coordinator
Lynda Reiss	....	property master
Robin Richesson	....	storyboard artist
John A. Scott III	....	swing gang
Catherine Smith	....	assistant art director
Suzan Wexler	....	set designer
Angela M. Whiting	....	assistant property master (as Angela Whiting)
Chris Zimmerman	....	stand-by painter
Ted Haigh	....	graphic artist (uncredited)
Allen Lafferty	....	propmaker (uncredited)
Angela O'Neill	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Maureen Osborne	....	buyer (uncredited)
Chris Samp	....	stand-by painter (uncredited)
Parker Swanson	....	additional props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Brian Basham	....	adr recordist
Bob Beemer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Bryan Bowen	....	sound effects editor
Simon Coke	....	dialogue editor
Dean Drabin	....	adr mixer
Carl Fischer	....	boom operator
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital sound assistant
Scott Martin Gershin	....	supervising sound editor
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Mark Gordon	....	dialogue editor
Trevor Jolly	....	adr supervisor
Lee W. Lebaigue	....	digital sound assistant (as Lee LeBaigue)
Scott Millan	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Thomas O'Neil Younkman	....	first assistant sound editor
Mark Ormandy	....	additional sound
Tom Ozanich	....	foley editor
Alan Rankin	....	sound effects editor
Richard Van Dyke	....	production sound mixer
Rich Weingart	....	adr mixer (as Richard Weingart)
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist (as Jeffrey B. Wilhoit)
Greg Zimmerman	....	foley recordist
Peter Zinda	....	foley editor
David Abrahamsen	....	sound (uncredited)
Sean England	....	sound re-recordist (uncredited)
Tom Lalley	....	sound re-recording engineer (uncredited)
Dan Lipe	....	cable person (uncredited)
James Marchione	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Jason Hansen	....	special effects assistant
John C. Hartigan	....	special effects coordinator
Wayne Incorvaia	....	special effects assistant
Eugene P. Rizzardi	....	special effects assistant (as Gene Rizzardi)
Paul Sokol	....	special effects assistant
Michael Thompson	....	special effects assistant
Chris Walkowiak	....	special effects assistant (as Christopher Walkowiak)

Visual Effects by
Jenny Behnke	....	visual effects technical assistant: CFC/MVFX
John Bozzalla	....	visual effects runner: CFC/MVFX
John Cassella	....	3D artist: CFC/MVFX (as John Cassella Jr.)
Robert Chapin	....	3D artist: CFC/MVFX
Nicolle Cornute	....	paint/roto artist: CFC/MVFX
Matt Dessero	....	visual effects compositor: CFC/MVFX
David Durham	....	visual effects technical assistant: CFC/MVFX
Susan Evans	....	paint/roto artist: CFC/MVFX
Donald Fly	....	visual effects general manager: CFC/MVFX (as Don Fly)
Fortunato Frattasio	....	visual effects compositor: CFC/MVFX
David Goldberg	....	visual effects supervisor: CFC/MVFX
Nicolle Gray	....	visual effects technical assistant: CFC/MVFX
Rob Hodgson	....	visual effects supervisor: CFC/MVFX
Matt Magnolia	....	visual effects editorial: CFC/MVFX
James M. McEwen	....	visual effects gaffer: second unit (as James McEwen)
Sheldon Ramones	....	visual effects technical assistant: CFC/MVFX
Tomme B. Stanley	....	paint/roto artist: CFC/MVFX
Jonathan F. Styrlund	....	visual effects producer: CFC/MVFX
Janet Yale	....	visual effects producer: CFC/MVFX
Travis Baumann	....	compositing artist (uncredited)
Paula Bonhomme	....	visual effects coordinator: CFC/MVFX (uncredited)
Gregory Creaser	....	digital timer: Pacific Title (uncredited)
Matt Linder	....	digital artist (uncredited)
Olivier Sarda	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Phil Culotta	....	utility stunts
Ben Scott	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Huston Beaumont	....	rigging gaffer
Tom Boone	....	grip
Lester Boykin	....	electrician
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
John Carney	....	assistant chief lighting technician
James M. Cox	....	chief lighting technician: second unit (as James Cox)
Ross Dunkerley	....	electrician
John Emory	....	grip
Paul Farley	....	best boy grip: second unit
Carlos M. Gallardo	....	dolly grip (as Carlos Gallardo)
Earl Gayer	....	electrician
Mike Gentile	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Ron Glenn	....	grip
David Golia	....	director of photography: second unit
Sergio Gutierrez	....	dolly grip: second unit
Geoffrey Haley	....	camera operator: video camera
Conrad W. Hall	....	director of photography: second unit
Dean M. King	....	best boy grip (as Dean King)
Gerald A. King	....	rigging key grip (as Jerry King)
Kenny King	....	key grip: second unit
John Lacy	....	electrician
Ralph Merzbach	....	24 frame playback technician: second unit
David H. Neale	....	electrician (as David Neale)
Thomas Noroian	....	grip
Aaron Pazanti	....	camera operator
Patrick G. Ralston	....	assistant chief lighting technician: second unit
David Riley	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Lorey Sebastian	....	still photographer
Tom Stern	....	chief lighting technician
Michael Thomas	....	camera loader
Andrew Towne	....	electrician (as Andy Towne)
Suzanne Trucks	....	second assistant camera (as Suzanne M. Trucks)
Donald J. Vos	....	best boy grip (as Don Vos)
Bill Young	....	key grip
Richard Brooks Burton	....	aerial first assistant camera (uncredited)
Kelly Diehl	....	libra head technician (uncredited)
Rick Grover	....	grip (uncredited)
Rick Harris	....	best boy rigging grip (uncredited)
Dana Kroeger	....	additional camera operator (uncredited)
Dana Kroeger	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera (uncredited)
Peter McAdams	....	grip (uncredited)
Michael McCormack	....	video playback operator (uncredited)
Daisuke Dice Miyake	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Robert J. Reilly	....	production grip: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Raquel Osborne	....	extras casting
Terri Taylor	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Marcy Grace Froehlich	....	assistant costume designer (as Marcy Froehlich)
Lee Harris	....	set costumer: second unit
Alix Hester	....	set costumer
Hope Slepak	....	costume supervisor (as Hope B. Slepak)
Sanford Slepak	....	key costumer
Kanani Wolf	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Martin Cohen	....	post-production executive
Vince Filippone	....	assistant editor: avid
P.J. Harling	....	assistant editor: avid
Phil Hetos	....	color timer
Larry Madaras	....	first assistant editor
Lisa Marie Serra	....	post-production coordinator
Jeffrey Skinner	....	editorial production assistant
Tracey Wadmore-Smith	....	first assistant editor
Kevin Du Toit	....	post-production assistant (uncredited)

Music Department
Bill Bernstein	....	music editor
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Jordan Corngold	....	assistant music editor
Joanie Diener	....	music editor
Chris Douridas	....	music supervisor
Tom Hardisty	....	music recordist (as Tom Hardesty)
Todd Homme	....	executive in charge of music
David Marquette	....	music recordist
Leslie Morris	....	music contractor
Thomas Pasatieri	....	orchestrator
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer (as Dennis Sands)
Bill Bernstein	....	musician: detuned mandolin (uncredited)
George Budd	....	musician: processed bass flute and phonograph (uncredited)
Rick Cox	....	musician: banjo ukelele and bass tin whistle (uncredited)
George Doering	....	musician: mandola, appalachian dulcimer and lap steel guitar (uncredited)
Bruce Dukov	....	musician: arpeggiated violin (uncredited)
Michael Fisher	....	musician: tablas, lim-kim drums and bird calls (uncredited)
Steve Kujala	....	musician: flute (uncredited)
Thomas Newman	....	musician: piano/saxophone (uncredited)
Chas Smith	....	musician: pedal steel guitar (uncredited)
Steve Tavaglione	....	musician: flute and ewi (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Jeff Couch	....	driver
Ed Evans	....	driver
Jim Johnson	....	driver
Alan Kaminsky	....	driver (as Al Kaminsky)
A. Welch Lambeth	....	transportation coordinator
Ronald Linxwiler	....	driver (as Ron Linxwiler)
Randy Lovelady	....	transportation captain
George R. Matejka	....	driver
Hector Mendoza	....	driver
Wayne Parviainen	....	driver
Glen R. Polzel	....	driver
Danny Routhicaux	....	driver (as Daniel Routhieaux)
Paul Schwanke	....	driver
Tyler Tennesen	....	driver
Jon Thorgusen	....	driver
David Trevino	....	driver (as Dave Trevino)
Daniel Valenzuela	....	driver
Bill Wolff	....	driver
Prentis Woods	....	driver
Mark Yacullo	....	driver
Jeff Kidman	....	transportation office manager (uncredited)

Other crew
Paula Abdul	....	choreographer
Newell Alexander	....	adr voice
Christine Bonnem	....	location manager
Susan Boyajian	....	adr voice
Robert D. Brugger	....	first aid (as Robert Brugger)
Dana Brunetti	....	assistant: Mr. Spacey
Steven Buhai	....	production assistant
Jennifer Carlson	....	24 frame video playback technician
Mitch Carter	....	adr voice
Mark Cirillo	....	adr voice
Robert Clotworthy	....	adr voice
Tara B. Cook	....	assistant: Mr. Mendes
David Cowgill	....	adr voice
Stephen P. Del Prete	....	production assistant
Maria DeVane	....	post-production accountant
Moosie Drier	....	adr voice
Ike Eisenmann	....	adr voice (as Iake Eissinmann)
Yoshi Enoki Jr.	....	assistant location manager
Marina Freeman	....	stand-in
Maurice 'Moe' Freeman	....	production assistant (as Maurice Freeman)
Marilyn Giardino	....	script supervisor: second unit (as Marilyn Giardino-Zyeh)
Jackie Gonneau	....	adr voice
René González	....	projectionist (as Rene Gonzales)
Joy A. Green	....	animal handler
Victor A. Haddox	....	assistant accountant (as Victor Haddox)
Anna E. Hayward	....	production assistant
Chee Ho	....	location assistant
Bridget Hoffman	....	adr voice (as Bridgette Hoffman)
Jeff Jenofsky	....	production assistant
Patricia S. Kingery	....	assistant accountant (as Tricia Kingery)
Krissy Korn	....	craft service: second unit (as Krissy C. Korn)
Michael Labog	....	production assistant: second unit
Matthew Labyorteaux	....	adr voice
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Janet Lonsdale	....	production accountant
Christina MacGregor	....	adr voice
Nichole McWhorter	....	stand-in
Pia Mehr	....	studio teacher
Edie Mirman	....	adr voice
Cindy Montoya-Picker	....	assistant choreographer (as Cindy Picker)
Christie Moreau	....	adr voice
Kim Mozingo	....	assistant: Ms. Bening
Michael Musteric	....	production assistant: second unit (as Michael J. Musteric)
Damon Preston	....	stand-in
Ana Maria Quintana	....	script supervisor
Mark Rabinowitz	....	production assistant
Deborah Ricketts	....	researcher
Debbie-Lynn Siegel	....	payroll accountant (as Debbie Lynn Siegel)
Shannon Speaker	....	assistant production coordinator
Kelly Stuart	....	assistant: Mr. Cohen and Mr. Jinks
J. Ben Sykes	....	production assistant
George L. Tarrant Jr.	....	production assistant
Mike Torchia	....	personal trainer: Mr. Spacey (as Michael Torchia)
Jim Turner	....	production controller
Christa Vausbinder	....	production coordinator
Matt Walker	....	production secretary
Christian Walsh	....	production assistant
Daniel J. Walsh	....	stand-in
Gillian Martin Waterman	....	production assistant
Charles Weaver	....	craft service
Mike Welch	....	assistant: Mr. Spacey
Tim Werle	....	first aid
Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc	....	pilot: second unit
Chris Douridas	....	voice (uncredited)
Jason Dudek	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Jeff Lovely	....	location coordinator (uncredited)
Chris Miller	....	technical consultant (uncredited)
Steven R. Molen	....	production executive (uncredited)
Mike Piccirillo	....	set production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Nicole Kidman	....	special thanks
Pete Townshend	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• DreamWorks SKG
• Jinks/Cohen Company

Distributors

• DreamWorks Distribution (1999) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (theatrical) (non-USA)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2000) (Japan) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (2002) (USA) (TV)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2001) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2008) (Argentina) (DVD) (Colección Grandes Cineastas) (double feature with 'A Beautiful Mind')
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD) (3-disc Clásicos Contemporáneos)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Colección Mejor Película)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2000) (Canada) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2007) (Canada) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• DreamWorks Home Entertainment (video)
• Filmes Lusomundo (Portugal)
• Prem'er Video Fil'm (Russia) (VHS)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (2002) (Japan) (DVD)
• United International Pictures (Far East)
• Universal Home Video (2001) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2002) (Japan) (DVD)

Special Effects

• CFC/MVFX (special visual effects)
• Pacific Title

Other Companies

• Executive Assurance  security
• American Humane Association, The  animal action monitoring
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes and dollies
• D.E.S.  avid equipment
• Deluxe Catering  catering
• Donmar Warehouse, The  thanks
• DreamWorks Records  soundtrack published by
• Dreamworks  author: Berne Convention (as DreamWorks LLC)
• E=mc²  24-frame video playback
• Falco Ink.  award campaign
• IVC  digital mastering
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• L.A. Mad Dogs  adr voice casting
• Pacific Title/Mirage  titles and opticals
• Rockbottom Rentals  cell phone rentals
• Signet Soundelux Studios  music recorded at
• Studio City Productions  marketing and promotion: syndication
• Todd-AO Studios  music recorded at (as Todd-AO Scoring Stage)
• Todd-AO Studios  re-recording facilities (as Todd-AO Hollywood)

Also Known As:

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

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Argentina:18 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 (original rating) | Germany:12 (bw) (original rating) | Germany:16 (bw) (re-rating) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:14 (original rating) | Iceland:16 (video rating) | India:A | Ireland:18 | Israel:PG | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-18 | Netherlands:16 (original rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Poland:15 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #36807) | Philippines:R-18 | Singapore:R(A) | Singapore:M18 (DVD rating) | Malaysia:(Banned) | Colombia:18 | Mexico:C | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (British Columbia) | Canada:18A (Alberta) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | France:-12 | Denmark:15 | Brazil:18 | Netherlands:12 (re-rating) | Finland:K-15

Filming Locations:

11388 Homedale Street, Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

The high school campus scenes, including the Spartanette dance sequence in the gymnasium, were shot at South High School in Torrance, California.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Carolyn drives up to her home in the final scene, the rain sounds like it has an echo, as if it were inside a stage.

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?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Lost in Plainview (2007)

Soundtrack:

Something Grand

A little masterpiece...

"American Beauty" is tour de force cinema. Sam Mendes' brilliant debut feature depicts a web of characters who yearn for their own 'American Dream' - yet, in the end, only one character truly attains it.

Having seen "Happiness" only recently, I could not help but draw comparisons: both films centre around a microcosm of society in which the people, in their own unique way, all strive to be successful or simply 'happy'. But here the similarities end: the characters in "Happiness" undergo a self-realisation process through which they become increasingly aware of their meaningless existence, and go on to wallow in their own depravity. "Happiness" shows no signs of redemption; whereas in "American Beauty" the audience is offered a sense of hope, of salvation, though the characters must endure a similar fate, or more accurately, they must endure the way of life in which they are trapped.

The pivotal character upon which this theme centres, is the father Lester, played impeccably by Kevin Spacey. He is presented to us as a bit of a loser who plays the subjugated figure in the home and at work. He appears resigned to an unhappy life in which he is treated badly by his wife and daughter and his boss at work. Seemingly beyond redemption, Lester transforms from being a loser.

Mendes portrays this transformation admirably well: he shows Lester on his 'path to enlightenment' pushed up against a grim background of suburbanite existence. These early scenes are well balanced, forming a steady rhythm of TV commercial-like vignettes which prove very comical, if at times unsettling. As Lester reflects in the film: "My life is like a commercial". And how this rings true: like in "Happiness", all the characters hide underneath this veneer of normality and respectability, yet they are all revealed to be nothing but the opposite: depressed, depraved and desperate.

Lester's wife, played by Annette Benning, is the most success-driven character in the story which renders her the most hopeless in the film's tone of moral conviction. "In order to be successful in life one must project the appearance of success" is the maxim she adopts from the 'king' of real estate, Buddy King. It is a phrase which resonates throughout the film: for Benning's pawn, life is all about keeping-up appearances. This is where Lester differs from her: his emancipation is enabled by him discarding the constraints of 'normal life' and following what his heart desires.

Lester is the catalyst in this narrative in which the ancillary characters either follow suit (as does his daughter and Ricky) or pay the price (as does his wife and the Colonel). The irony inherent in this film, and it grows with resonance as the film draws to a conclusion, is that the only character who truly becomes free must sacrifice everything in order to achieve it. Yet it is through his sacrifice that he is able to afford the surviving characters a glimpse of hope in life.

This film left me gasping for air: its hyper-realism conveys, at the same time, a portrait of the suburban comedy, a jolting-shock of realisation, and a cathartic sense of hope. Mendes depicts a certain people who, to varying degrees, all strive for a certain 'American Dream', yet so few actually attain it. Though whilst one may have difficulty with tagging this film with the 'feel good' label, the beauty of "American Beauty" is that it sits half-way between a desperate cry for help and a reassuring sense of happiness and fulfilment and that is cinema at its best.