AI overview
"American Beauty" is a 1999 American film directed by Sam Mendes that explores the lives of suburban families, examining themes of desire, dissatisfaction, and hidden darkness beneath ordinary surface appearances. The film became culturally significant as a critically acclaimed work that offered a dark critique of American suburban life and remains influential in cinema.
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Film · TMDB
8.0Lester Burnham, a depressed suburban father in a mid-life crisis, decides to turn his hectic life around after developing an infatuation with his daughter's attractive friend.
Released: 1999-09-15122 minDir: Sam MendesDramaBudget: $15.0MBox office: $356M
Cast
- Kevin Spacey as Lester Burnham
- Annette Bening as Carolyn Burnham
- Thora Birch as Jane Burnham
- Wes Bentley as Ricky Fitts
- Mena Suvari as Angela Hayes
- Peter Gallagher as Buddy Kane
Themes
- estate agent
- adultery
- coming out
Article
American Beauty is a 1999 American black comedy and psychological drama film directed by Sam Mendes in his feature directorial debut, and written by Alan Ball. Kevin Spacey stars as Lester Burnham, an advertising executive who has a midlife crisis when he becomes infatuated with his teenage daughter's best friend, played by Mena Suvari. Annette Bening stars as Lester's materialistic wife, Carolyn, and Thora Birch plays their insecure daughter, Jane. Wes Bentley, Chris Cooper, Peter Gallagher, and Allison Janney co-star. Academics have described the film as satirizing how beauty and personal satisfaction are perceived by the American middle class; further analysis has focused on the film's explorations of romantic and paternal love, sexuality, materialism and self-liberation.
American Beauty was released by DreamWorks Pictures in North America on September 15, 1999, and was widely released on October 1, receiving widespread critical and popular acclaim. It was the second-best-reviewed American film of the year behind Being John Malkovich and grossed over $350 million worldwide against its $15-million budget, becoming the ninth highest-grossing film of 1999. DreamWorks launched a major campaign to increase American Beauty's chances of Oscar success following its controversial Best Picture snub for Saving Private Ryan (1998) the previous year.