American Beauty (1999)

A sexually frustrated suburban father has a mid-life crisis after becoming infatuated with his daughter's best friend.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Writer:

Alan Ball

Stars:

Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch

Top Rated Movies #70 | Won 5 Oscars. Another 105 wins & 101 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Spacey	...	Lester Burnham
Annette Bening	...	Carolyn Burnham
Thora Birch	...	Jane Burnham
Wes Bentley	...	Ricky Fitts
Mena Suvari	...	Angela Hayes
Peter Gallagher	...	Buddy Kane
Allison Janney	...	Barbara Fitts
Chris Cooper	...	Colonel Fitts
Scott Bakula	...	Jim Olmeyer
Sam Robards	...	Jim Berkley
Barry Del Sherman	...	Brad
Ara Celi	...	Sale House Woman #1
John Cho	...	Sale House Man #1
Fort Atkinson	...	Sale House Man #2
Sue Casey	...	Sale House Woman #2

Storyline

After his death sometime in his forty-third year, suburbanite Lester Burnham tells of the last few weeks of his life, during which he had no idea of his imminent passing. He is a husband to real estate agent Carolyn Burnham and father to high school student Janie Burnham. Although Lester and Carolyn once loved each other, they now merely tolerate each other. Typical wallflower Janie too hates both her parents, the three who suffer individually in silence in their home life. Janie tries to steer clear of both her parents. Carolyn, relatively new to the real estate business, wants to create the persona of success to further her career, she aspiring to the professional life of Buddy Kane, the king of the real estate business in their neighborhood. Lester merely walks mindlessly through life, including at his job in advertising. His company is downsizing, and he, like all the other employees, has to justify his position to the newly hired efficiency expert to keep his job. Things change ...

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Plot Keywords:

midlife crisis | adulterous wife | unfaithful wife | drug dealer | unfaithfulness | 

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Taglines:

... look closer

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality, language, violence and drug content

Details

Official Sites:

DreamWorks Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 October 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

American Beauty

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$15,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$861,531, 19 September 1999, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$130,096,601

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$226,200,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks, Jinks/Cohen Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

For the 72nd Academy Awards, in which the picture and Kevin Spacey were nominated, Spacey reprised Lester Burnham In a sketch with host Billy Crystal in which Lester's opening shower scene is spoofed as the shower scene from Psycho (1960)

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Goofs

In the end of the movie. Lester talks about the maple trees aligning the streets in the neighborhood where he lives. Only that maple trees are only there in the on-location shots of his street. When we see the Burnham and Fitts homes., shot in a studio backlot, there are no maple trees there.

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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?

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Crazy Credits

thanks to all at the Donmar Warehouse in London and Dr. Bill and Alice

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Top Ten: Best Actor Oscar Winners (2011)

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Soundtracks

Call Me Irresponsible
Written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen
Performed by Bobby Darin
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with EMI-Capitol Music Special Markets

User Reviews

Make more movies like this todayyy

Oh my gosh, I forgot how great this movie is. Kevin Spacey nailed his character with remarkable performance. Camera work is amazing and it shows everyday problems in marriage and society. Ending is perfect and the movie deserved all the praise and Oscar.