American Beauty IMDB
- Cast: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch
Director:
Sam Mendes
Categories: Comedy Drama
Rated: R
Running Time: 120 minutes
Synopsis
Noted theater director Sam Mendes, who was responsible for the
acclaimed 1998 revival of Cabaret and Nicole Kidman's turn in The Blue Room,
made his motion picture debut with this film about the dark side of an
American family, and about the nature and price of beauty in a culture
obsessed with outward appearances. Kevin Spacey plays Lester Burnham, a man
in his mid-40s going through an intense midlife crisis; he's grown cynical
and is convinced that he has no reason to go on. Lester's relationship with
his wife Carolyn (Annette Bening) is not a warm one; while on the surface
Carolyn strives to present the image that she's in full control of her life,
inside she feels empty and desperate. Their teenage daughter Jane (Thora
Birch) is constantly depressed, lacking in self-esteem, and convinced that
she's unattractive. Her problems aren't helped by her best friend Angela (Mena
Suvari), an aspiring model who is quite beautiful and believes that that
alone makes her a worthwhile person. Jane isn't the only one who has noticed
that Angela is attractive: Lester has fallen into uncontrollable lust for
her, and she becomes part of his drastic plan to change his body and change
his life. Meanwhile, next door, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper) has spent a
lifetime in the Marine Corps and can understand and tolerate no other way of
life, which makes life difficult for his son Ricky (Wes Bentley), an aspiring
filmmaker and part-time drug dealer who is obsessed with beauty, wherever and
whatever it may be. American Beauty was also the screen debut for
screenwriter Alan Ball. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
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